Alice's Runner Sarah
by The Poisoned Quill
Summary: The Hatter tells Alice a story, resulting in some nasty consequences but Underland's Champion needs a champion and there's but one option. But even that's complicated. Will Sarah finally get her king? And what lessons does Alice have for Jareth? A/H & S/J
1. Chapter 1

In the world known as Underland little is known about what lays beyond the Outlands. Some say it's a massive jungle, filled with only the worst kinds of creatures, others believe that the barren desert of the Outlands go on forever and ever. This implying Underland is the only world on thier layer of worlds. Yet there is another group that believe there is another land on the outskirts of their own, with only the hot dusty desert to separate the two kingdoms. It is a land full of fey, or so the legend claims. Goblins inhabit the main city and the castle and the only way to reach the sole city is to complete a treacherous maze. They said that a creature, a faerie or some other humaniod, stood as a cruel, beautiful, and devious king.

Tarrant had never took much stock in that, choosing to believe a happy medium between the two more popular theories. That there was some kind of population out there but certainly that it wasn't completely savage. Still, it was always fun to tell the legend of the world called the Underground, especially to one who had never heard it before. So as they sat by the newly restored windmill, sipping while he chattered on and on, they had no idea how this one story would effect thier lives. Maybe Alice would've been better prepared if she had heard the story before, maybe not. No one will ever know.

She'd been listening to him tell the story, sipping her tea as she watched her husband. Really, she was only half listening, the other half of her mind was remembering and musing about the time they'd spent together. It had been a few of the best years of her life. It'd taken her a whole two months in China to realize she'd made a mistake, and it'd taken another two before she was free of all burdens and able to return to her true home. Where she'd recieved a more than warm welcome by a pair of more than warm arms and several of thier animal friends.

Things with her and Tarrant moved fast after that for they'd seen no reason to slow down. They hadn't needed the time of courtship to know for a fact that it'd work out, and before the first year was up they were married. She'd never been so happy, life was absolutely never boring and tea had soon become her favorite time of the day if only to watch the madness in Tarrant at a bubbly level that only tea with Thackery could bring out (she naturally assumed it had to do with the fact that both were utterly insane). Normally they'd have their usual company and noise, but as this was their third anniversary their friends gave them the day to themselves. And for that she was grateful.

She got up with the intention of seducing her husband, watched him as she sat on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck and she nuzzled his cheek. His breath caught, the story he'd been telling died in his throat. He'd just gotten to the part about wishing people away, but now it seemed he would no longer be able to finish it. When she nipped at his ear he bit back the groan that threatened to escape. "Ya know, lass, interruptin' a story ain't the best way ta get what ya want."

"Then you must not know what I want." She straddled his lap, watched his eyes darken to a shade of green he reserved just for her, it was a rather lusty color and sent anticipating shivers down her spine. Her fingers started unbuttoning his shirt, one small button at a time. By time she was done, she didn't want any sanity left in him.

"Really?" His accent got even thicker. "And what is i' a bonnie lass could be af'r tha' 'as 'er so riled?"

"Hatter." She whispered his name in ear, grinned when his breath caught. She still called him that when they were being intimate (whether in the bedroom or just during conversation) or when she spoke of him fondly, though she'd known his real name for a long time. So did everyone else in Underland And she loved his real name. Tarrant sounded so respectable but fascinating, strange and exhilarating, everything she thought he was. But she called him Hatter with the rest of the population, so he probably didn't realize that the real reason she still called him Hatter was that she'd fallen in love with him whilst riding his hat. That was an adventure she'd _never_ forget, not that she'd try..

But she did want him to finish, or he'd find it in his mind to pout about it later, and she'd hear about it around two o'clock in the morning when he remembered and she was trying to sleep. So she straightened, patted his chest. "I really would not mind hearing the rest of your story and I promise to be on my best behavior until you are done, then I can not promise much. What were the words that they say to wish people away?"

"I think, and I could be very wrong." He wasn't in his best judgment, thanks to his special Alice, or else he'd have distracted her from the question. But he thought about it for a second or two, his eyes slowly returned to their brilliant green. He smiled when she rested her head in the crook of his neck while she waited. Eventually, he spoke. "That it's something like 'Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me.' Or something like that."

"No, no, no, of course not." Another voice sprang into the conversation. Alice rolled her eyes with a smile as he continued onward. It would be fitting that the only person to interrupt them all day would be him. "Those aren't the words at all."

Chess appeared at Alice's side. "Don't you just look cozy." She blushed, ducked her head against her husband's warm shoulder, and Tarrant glared at him. He floated in circles around Tarrant, playing mischief was his favorite past time. And he had a lot of fun planned for these two, they were just getting a little too comfortable in the life they were living for their own good. "You know the words, don't you, Tarrant. I'd hate for you, our esteemed hero, to have forgotten the words to one of the most important legends in our world."

"Of course I do." He straightened, forgetting about Alice and almost knocking her out of her lap. He grabbed her waist, held tightly as she laughed against his shoulder. He loved her laugh."So sorry, luv."

"So why don't you tell us, dear Hatter, what are the words? Better yet..." He floated directly behind Alice. "Instead of telling both of us, why don't you just tell Alice. After all, she _is_ the one who asked the question."

This was the last bit of encouragement he needed, to stare into her eagerly waiting eyes. He couldn't lie to her, not ever. And he had to believe that it wasn't real. It wasn't real, it wasn't real, it wasn't real, he repeated to himself before he continued. Later he'd scold himself and make it clear that if he worried about doing something then it was best not to do it."The words are..." He didn't notice the cat disappear, he'd already lost himself in Alice's eyes. "I wish the Goblin King would come and take you away..." He only barely payed attention to the dangerously dark clouds that were pulling together directly over them. Just long enough to think that it was going to storm and ruin thier tea. "...right now."

It all happened so fast. Lightning struck the table, causing Alice to fall out of his lap rather suddenly. Before he could react a white barn owl swooped over his head, dangerously close to Tarrant's hat. He leaped out of his suddenly rather empty chair and pulled Alice under one of the larger tables. She was shaking like a leaf, but she couldn't bring herself to feel fear, just shock from the lightning. He covered her with his body, did his best to comfort her, mistaking her shivers for that fear, as his eyes turned a shade Alice had never seen before. This was because she'd never once seen him afraid. Sad, brave, happy, silly, angry, yes, but never scared. His brogue was whispering words of comfort into her ear, but she couldn't make any of them out.

Suddenly he fell to the ground and there was no more Alice beneath him. For a moment he wasn't sure what to think. When he peeked out of the table cloth, he could see the bottom of her dress and her shoes along with a pair of man's boots. That's when it hit him, the Goblin King was taking his Alice. He'd done this and he'd have to be the one to do something about it. He rose, reached for the sword he kept hidden in the high grass. He swung the huge thing menacingly. "Get your _slurvish_ mitts off my woman."

But then, he wasn't touching Alice, she was just standing there, almost frozen. If she could, she'd have told him it was alright just to see his eyes calm the way they always did, but it felt like some kind of haze over her mind. The Goblin King looked at him with a bored but amused glance. "Forget about her and go back to your tea, she's in good hands now."

"He didn't mean it." At his statement, she broke free of whatever hold he had on her, lurched forward toward Tarrant but stopped when she saw the colors in his eyes switch from almost black to deep orangish red. She couldn't just hide behind him and let him talk to the Goblin King, because that was the last thing that would actually end up happening. She had to talk both men down, she knew, before something happened. She'd never seen the Goblin King in action, but she knew Tarrant. Things would get nasty. "He was telling me a story, I made him say the words."

"You're not from here, are you." Jareth smiled charmingly at the woman, took a step toward her. "If you were, you'd know the legends a little bit better. You'd know that it makes no difference what excuses you give, someone's still got to run my Labyrinth and if they fail I still have to keep my prize."

"Run your Labyrinth? What on earth for?" Alice asked and Tarrant didn't bother to say anything through his haze of red, he hadn't gotten to that part yet.

"You are not mine until won through sport or surrendered, in most cases running through my labyrinth." He looked at Tarrant. "However, it looks like there's nobody to run it for you."

"An Underlander, by law, can not by law step through the gates of the labyrinth." Tarrant told her as if that meant there was absolutely nothing they could do, then had a idea, whether it was mad or brilliant he couldn't tell. But it was an idea none the less. "But we can get a champion, can't we. That is how it works, right?"

"Yes," Jareth sighed, glanced at Alice who was wearing a strange kind of smile now, proud, happy, hopeful, longing, and sad all at the same time. She was definitely going to be one of the odd ones. One of the few he didn't turn into goblins and he kept in different places of the Underground as advisors and companions. Little did he know that it was her confidence in Tarrant and their odd gang of friends that made her grin like such a fool. If he had, he'd certainly of laughed. "You may chose a runner from Aboveground, however it cannot be her."

As his eyes were completely back to that wonderful, though faded and not exuberant, green, Alice knew it was safe to approach him. She kissed his mouth sweetly, placed her hands on his cheeks, and looked at him with a meaning that he translated almost perfectly. This would be the last time she talked to him for a while, hours for her. And while she had all the confidence in the world in the man she loved, Tarrant was always one to not see the good in himself. She wanted him to know she trusted and believed in him before she left. "Go find me a champion, I'll be alright."

"All of Underland will not rest until it's champion has a champion of her own." His whisper was saddened, his eyes were closed, and it brought tears to her eyes. She kissed him again, the last kiss before she'd leave him and go with the Goblin King. He embraced her, tried to capture that passion they'd been feeling just a few minutes ago before she would disappear. Her sigh was enough to bring him hope and a kind of relief. "Fairfarren, Alice." He whispered in her ear as he had done once before. Then it had broken his heart, this time he might lose all of himself if he lost her. He'd no longer be able to keep his madness at bay.

The tears ran down her cheeks. "Don't say goodbye, Tarrant." She didn't want it to be goodbye, it couldn't be a final parting. "You will come for me, I know it. So don't say goodbye, my love."

"Alright." He smiled, wiped the tears away with his thumbs, just so they could be replaced by more. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "No goodbyes then."

"I believe in you, and I will be back before you know it, drinking tea again with our friends." she wanted that picture in his head, because it would be the picture that was in her head.

"I love you, my Alice." He smiled, stepped out of the embrace but took her hands in his. "Do not lose your muchness while you are gone. I so love your muchness."

"I have to go now." She stepped away, wiped at her eyes. "Or I will have to embarrass myself and make a scene."

And she turned to walk away, the long dress she wore was billowing in the breeze as she accepted the hand Jareth offered her.

Tarrant turned away before they disappeared, unwilling to go through that part of again, and headed toward the white castle of Mamorial.

Alice looked back one more time, watched him walk away, his hat straight on his head and an odd spring in his step. It was his way of proving that he would handle this, that he would face whatever came next. "I won't be with you long too long, he'll do what it takes."

Jareth smirked, and the next moment they were standing on the outskirts of the labyrinth. He didn't bother to crush her hopes by telling her it was hopeless, she'd come to that conclusion on her own soon enough. "We'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

**So, this is the chapter where they choose a champion for Alice. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland, if I did, things in the end would have been different. **

* * *

Sarah kicked the large fighting dummy with a kind of skill and perfection that came from five years of sweat, blood, and a whole lot of practice. She still didn't completely understand what had preempted her need to take up martial arts AND kick boxing, but she had an idea. It had something to do with the labyrinth and how defenseless she'd felt during that goblin battle. Even if it hadn't been that and she had some other subconscious reason, she was glad she had. It felt great during her daily routine, like she was high on some strange drug. Her skin was damp and sweaty, her hair was pulled back. She continued in her sports bra and shorts, the basement of her house had become her gym, and easily the place she spent the majority of her time now a days.

This house that she'd moved into as soon as she turned eighteen to get away from the memories of her parent's place (her mother, while out of the picture and having finally hit the big time, had shelled out a couple hundred thousand in her name when she was seventeen). She couldn't step into her parents bedroom without gazing out the balcony doors and wondering if they'd just fly open. She stared out her own bedroom window during every thunderstorm, simply praying for some kind of relief from the heavy sadness. So many memories, and they'd stemmed so many bad habits. So she'd moved. And while she still thought about the Underground and it's inhabitants, it wasn't quite as bad here where they haven't trod.

She hadn't talked to any of her friends for five years, and she didn't think she'd ever talk to them again. Oh, but how she wanted to. She wanted to see Hoggle again, and Ludo, even Sir Didymus. She wanted to smile and listen to them bicker as she was sure they would. She wanted to face off with the Goblin King, and maybe take him up on his offer. It hadn't taken her long to realize she cared about the man, and that she understood why he'd done what he did. Still, unless she wished someone away again (something she'd considered but had ultimately decided that she was never going to put someone through that again), she was never going to see him again. She was resolved to that fact.

There was a loud thumping and she turned off the stereo to listen, she'd hate to go all the way up there and find out it was just her imagination again. When it repeated, she grabbed her water, drank deeply, and with that in her hand, she headed up the stairs.

There was muttering on the other side of the door and she peered out the window as her step mother had warned her to do now that she was living alone. Standing outside on the porch were two of the oddest dressed people she'd ever seen (and that was including the same strange costumes worn by those at that ball oh so long ago). One was decked out in all white, her hair matching her dress, her entire appearance just seem regal and pre. The other, well, he just looked... mad.

As she was about to go back down into her basement and ignore them, she had the strangest feeling that she should turn around. She opened the door and stared at them as if she saw people like them every day. "Are you lost?"

"I do not believe so." The odd man in the funny top hat looked at the woman with confused eyes. "Surely the Oraculum wouldn't have taken us to the wrong house. Then again, these houses are so close together. And even _it's_ made mistakes, minor ones of course, but mistakes. Maybe it meant the next house. Because in all honesty, she's wearing less than an undergarment and she has a look of complete innocence. she hardly looks like someone who's run, let alone beat something so treacherous and complicated."

"Nobody's managed yet, so how do we know what one should look like? You forget how Mally stood against..." The woman let her voice drifted off, not wanting to remind him of how Stayne had tortured the two of them in Iracabeth's castle, leveled her patient eyes on him when she saw the color start to shift in his eyes. "This is no time for you to lose yourself, Alice needs you."

"Of course, your majesty." He bowed his head.

Sarah was watching all of this but she couldn't make any sense of it. So she was pretty certain they were crazier than a box of frogs. "Alright, here's the deal. I'm going to close the door and when I come out in fifteen minutes if either of you are still here I'm calling the cops."

"Sarah?" The woman asked, batted her huge brown eyes at her. "We came a long way to seek your help."

"Why would you want me?" Sarah couldn't remember doing anything they could be interested in. How could they be looking for her?

"He's taken her." The man's voice was thick, slurred, and Scottish? "He's taken her into his world and we need a runner." His eyes met hers and she had to swallow her gasp. His eyes were an eerie orange. "Underland's champion needs a champion."

Mirana shook her head with a small smile. "You'll have to excuse him, I fear he's going to snap and go after the King himself. What he's trying to say is that our friend was wished away to the Underground and we come to ask you to run the labyrinth for her."

So they needed her for the labyrinth, and she needed to get back to her Goblin King anyway. She looked at them carefully, there were details she'd have to get before she agreed to anything though. "Come in, I'll make some coffee."

* * *

She stared at Mirana over her coffee. Hatter had gone straight for the little bit of tea she kept for her stepmother. At the moment she was trying to work out everything Mirana had told her. "What did you mean the Oraculum brought you here?"

"An Oraculum, a calendar of sorts, tells everything that happens in the world for which it is created. Each world has one." Mirana was seated at the table, her grace was obvious even when she didn't move. "Mamoreal keeps all of them, as each world has it's own responsibility in the grander scale of things. Underland is the records keeper, the Underground takes those who are not wanted or not safe, and Aboveland, well, your world keeps things running smoothly."

"I don't care about the history of the calendar." Sarah shook her head, she could get a history lesson later. "What I want to know is why you didn't pick someone else."

Hatter's hand was shaking, the spoon in his hand clanked against the edge Mirana put a hand on Hatter. Not in a romantic kind of way but was clearly comforting before she met Sarah's eyes again. "There have been several people to run through the labyrinth and reach the junk yard. But nobody has ever made it as far as you, Sarah, no one has ever even come close."

"And what's in this for me?" Sarah didn't want to feel horrible for telling them no but she just didn't know what to do. She was living this life alright and she couldn't find anything seriously wrong with it (other than the serious lack of Goblin Kings). If she left, she had a feeling her life would change drastically. She'd never be able to return and slip back into her own world, no matter what happened. She'd find herself lost in the labyrinth and though it would most likely end in her leaving all over again, she'd never forgive herself.

"Hatter, be a dear and fetch the Oraculum from where I left it when we came in." Mirana waited until Tarrant had left the room before looking at Sarah with complete understanding. "You're in love with him, aren't you." This statement needed no answer. " I've met him, it's not hard to see why a woman would be interested. You're more than interested, you're hurting. You think you're hiding it, and you are in fact doing a good job of it, but I know better. This place, though not a home, is devoid of all personality. I can't tell you the future, Sarah, because the oath I took forbids it, but I can promise you if you do not try then you'll never know."

Tarrant came back in now, handed Mirana the scroll. Sarah didn't comment on it, didn't think it odd that it was so ordinary for what Mirana claimed it was. After all, a simple peach had changed her entire life. Mirana said something quietly to the man and he continued to stand, looked at Sarah. "You're conflicted. I have no right to ask you to do this for me, but I cannot get her myself. I ask you, in the name of what ever it will take for you to agree, to help me right the mistake I made and get my wife back. I cannot go on with out her, she is the only person who can keep me from losing what's left of my mind. She is everything to me, please, help me get my life back."

If Sarah had still been conflicted, which she hadn't, that would have made up her mind for her. She'd never heard someone speak so honestly, so genuinely, of the one they loved and it moved her. She only hoped that one day she'd be able to speak about her own love like that. She went to him, took his hands in hers and smiled. "In the name of love, that's the only thing worth fighting for any more."

"Love." He nodded, then her words made sense to him. "You'll do it?"

"On one condition." She told him, somehow knowing he'd argue with this part. "You have to go with me."

"I mustn't." He shook his head sadly. "If I'm caught, Alice would be forfeit by default."

"You love her." Sarah said with force. "You're going to need to be there when she's free. Besides, I won't know what she looks like, how am I supposed to know if I found her if no one recognizes her."

"Alright. I'll go." He finally agreed. And they sat for a little while, Mirana explaining to Sarah the tricky part of time traveling.

She was not allowed to mention the future because she might change the past if she did. She couldn't stay in that time, no matter what happened, or there would be consequences. No one would recognize her, and things weren't likely to be the same as they once were. While Sarah had guessed most of this already, it was good to hear it again, to have another person tell her that she couldn't change things for what might appear to be the better because in the end the only thing that would happen was she'd screw up the events around it and therefore undo her entire life.

It certainly was an interesting danger, one she might consider invoking if things should go too bad for her to handle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's been a while, school ended on friday and I'm afraid I've been suffering some minor writer's block, but here's this chapter... obviously.**

**Disclaimer: I wish every night for Alice in Wonderland to be mine, but to no avail.**

* * *

Sarah looked at him with discerning eyes. With a little help from Jabberwocky blood (whatever that was), they'd taken a turn back to his own time and were standing on the outskirts of the labyrinth. But now they had a problem that couldn't just be wished away. "Well, this might not work out quite as well as I thought." He was tall, insanely so, and his appearance definitely made it no secret that he didn't belong in what he'd called the Aboveland. "You stick out like a sore thumb."

He blinked at her in confusion, looked at his bandaged hands. "I've got plenty of those to spare, well, techniqually I've only got two thumbs, but I do have a lot of sore fingers. Still, I don't see how they stand out."

"It's an expression." She explained patiently, the language gap between their worlds and times was going to cause some issues if she wasn't careful. "It means that if I take you in there, you'll draw attention and people will ask questions."

"I know." He nodded solemnly, having already realized that. He'd tried to tell her he couldn't come, but NO, she had to insist he go with her. "My markings make me obvious even in my own land, I can't imagine here being any different." And how he had so hoped to be able to run and go to Alice now that he was so close to the labyrinth itself. If only there were a way to go unnoticed, to... "Oh, of course!." He exclaimed, having only just remembered. "The pipshalver!"

"Pipshalver?" Sarah had never heard of such a thing (not surprising), but she watched as Hatter took one of the vials the queen had handed off to him out of his pocket and opened it. It seemed ominous and she didn't want him to turn into some kind of furry creature or something. Last thing she needed was a half mad, wild animal on her hands. "What do you think your doing with that?"

"The only thing you can do with it." He rolled his eyes, wishing that if he'd had to be stuck with somebody, it would at least be someone who knew something. As it was, he still didn't believe she'd run the labyrinth before. How could she believe in a place such as this and not have a little faith in him? Goodness knows, there were rumors of other things half as believable in this place. He took a drink of it, a big enough one to shrink down to about two inches. His clothes shrunk with him and while he found this to be odd, he said nothing. He wasn't about to make a big deal when he was simply grateful he could be dressed comfortably.

"You shrunk!" She stood in wonder as he rolled his eyes again.

"Well, of course I did. Now, let's get going, shall we." He climbed up onto the top hat that had been the only thing that hadn't shrunk with him.

"_You _shall wear the hat, and _I _shall ride on it. It shall be my first hat ride." His grin was quick and bright when she didn't say anything. "You know, the best way to travel is by hat."

"I wouldn't know, I've never traveled by hat before." She told him as she picked the hat up carefully and placed it on her head. It was an utterly absurd notion, but hey, she wasn't going to argue with the man if he thought it might work.

"Well, that's quite alright." He sympathized as if it was some kind of terrible chance. "I'm sure someday you'll be able to experience the wonder."

"I certainly hope not." She looked at the labyrinth with a kind of longing that would have pulled at his heartstrings. She hadn't realized how painful it would be to see it again in all of it's glory. "There are much better things I'd like to be doing rather than sitting on a stiff hat."

"What would that be?" He asked her as she started walking down the hill.

"I'd rather be dancing." She told him frankly, though she failed to mention that she'd rather be dancing with the tall, handsome man that ruled the labyrinth they were about to enter. She didn't think he'd take too kindly to such a suggestion about the man who kidnapped his wife.

But Hatter took great interest in this fact. "Do you futterwacken?"

"Futterwhat?" Sarah didn't think she'd heard him correctly, certainly he couldn't have said futterwacken. That wasn't even a word.

"Futterwacken." He repeated, then stood and did a small jig. "It's a dance."

"I see." She lied. Really, she didn't want to understand. If she tried to understand then she'd get attached and it would just be more friends that she would never see again. She didn't care to hurt for anyone else. "We should probably focus on getting through the labyrinth, your time would have started the moment Jareth left."

"Jareth?" Hatter looked at her curiously. "I don't think I know anybody by that name."

"The Goblin King." She explained with a sigh. "Don't ask and I won't tell, alright?" But he didn't answer.

"Oh, look, an opening. Finally we can get Alice." Tarrant got excited, moving back and forth on the hat so that she could only assume he was pacing.

"We don't go in there." Sarah pointed to the odd opening in the side of the labyrinth. "I mean, for all I know it _could_ be the way, but it could be a trap. There's also a huge chance we'd get terribly lost and spend the entire time wandering around." Not that it was an indisputable fact, but if they were going to do this, it was best to stick with what she knew. "We need to find the gate keeper."

Tarrant's eyes searched the place as he stood on the hat, but he didn't see anyone. "It could be the gate was added later." He offered.

"No." She shook her head when she heard the low grunts and shuffling feet in the distance. "Look!"

Hoggle, his hair ink black where she remembered it white, came limping up to glare at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to run the labyrinth for an Underlander named..." She would have forgotten if Hatter hadn't whispered it quickly. "Alice Hightopp."

Hoggle looked her up and down carefully. "You don't look like any runner I'd have chosen."

"Well, they chose me anyway." Sarah tried not to take his blunt and cold behavior personally. After all, they wouldn't meet for a couple of decades yet.

He started to walk away when she spoke again. " I was hoping to make some kind of bargain with you." She held out the necklace he'd brought for just this reason. He looked at it with gleaming eyes. "You guide me through the labyrinth and this is yours."

"And why should _I _risk_ my_ neck to help _you_?" He was considering his options, or at least that was what his eyes told her.

"Because you know me." She remembered his promise that all it was to take was for her to need him. True that it hasn't happened yet for him, but it had for her. So, in a way, she wondered if there wasn't some weak bond still there. "You don't know why, but something in you recognizes me, Hoggle. And you want to help, which scares you because your a coward."

He narrowed his already squinty eyes. "What did you say your name was?"

"Sarah." She got down to his height, hoping Tarrant was smart enough to move around to the back of the hat. When Hoggle didn't comment, she assumed so. "Will you help me, Hoggle?"

He took the necklace from her hand. "I don't know none of the nonsense your spewing, but I'll open the labyrinth for you and go no further." She opened her mouth, pretending to want to argue. "Nothing you can say will change my mind."

It was easy enough to pretend being annoyed with him, but she said nothing. He limped toward the walls of the labyrinth and she winced when Tarrant landed on her shoulder. "Still feeling sure of yourself, lassie?"

"Yes." She gave him a blatant stare. "Just because Hoggle doesn't remember me doesn't mean I can't still find my way."

"Never said you couldn't." He reminded her, sitting comfortably on her shoulder. She certainly was a feisty one, a lot like his Alice. Oh, how she would have loved to go on such an adventure. She wouldn't have quite that sad look that Sarah does in her eyes, because no matter what the white queen said when he asked her about it, he was certain there was something between Sarah and the Goblin King. "But it's not the rather large dwarf I'm concerned about."

"He's only big because your small." She reminded him before walking toward the now opening gate. "And as far as whether or not the Goblin King troubles me, I'll worry about that when we get there."

"You wait to worry then." He crossed his arms rather like a spoiled child. "I'll worry now." Because as far as he was concerned, if she failed she had nothing to lose. Where as, if she failed, he lost everything.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Alice feels sorry for the Goblin King and Sarah finds herself face to face with her old rival.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, so when Sarah's thinking, it's Hatter, when Alice is thinking it's Tarrant. I hope you enjoy :)**

**disclaimer: I do NOT own anything to do with Alice in Wonderland or Labyrinth, though if anyone would like to make me an offer... no? ... oh well, I guess I'll have to keep on dreaming.**

**And on with the story :)**

* * *

She was walking along the same damp and glittering walls, twists and turns where there should have been a straight path. What had she been thinking? The labyrinth hadn't even stayed the same while she was running it for a few hours, why should it be the same during such a long span of years. She didn't want to admit to Hatter, but she had a feeling that she was completely lost. They weren't going to beat this by any fair means of play. With that thought, she turned her mind to more personal matters.

She wanted to see Jareth anyway, to have time with him, and leaving him again would break her forever. But she couldn't turn on Hatter and dash his hopes now. So why wasn't there a way she could she have it both ways? Her thoughts turned into a wild daydream full of possibilities and she almost didn't hear Hatter's comment. "You actually like it here?" He'd asked her, watching the eyes that followed them warily.

"It has a certain charm about it." She mumbled, focusing on the path in front of her again. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have been able to see the faint straight lines that shouldn't be there on the ground. She wouldn't have been able to stop in time, and it would have been a deadly fall for Hatter. "You should get in my pocket."

"Why?" He looked around but he didn't see anything. She didn't answer, but rather picked him up and tucked him into a pocket in her vest.

"Hold on." She warned him. She remembered the last time she'd fallen through such a thing, it was a hard fall for someone of normal size. She just hoped he didn't some how fall out of her pocket, or this could still end badly.

She just thanked god that she spotted the oubliette before she'd stepped on the trap door. And normal people would think of just walking around it, or going the other way, but she only held onto the hope that she could find a door like Hoggle had showed her. Now, as she took a deep breath, she thought that it was best just to get this over with.

* * *

In the castle, Alice sat in the middle of a large goblin banquet. As the guest of honor, she sat next to the Goblin King, who after the first fifteen minutes insisted that she call him Jareth. "Do my people bother you?" He asked after a fight broke out and a glass would have knocked her in the head, had she not ducked out of pure instinct.

She smiled as if he'd told her something amusing. "When Tarrant comes for me, remind me to introduce you to the March Hare."

"I don't understand you." He shook his head when she laughed at a goblin's crude joke. "You're an Aboveground woman?"

She leveled her eyes on him with a hard yet gentle stare, one she'd perfected over her time at home. "I realize I am not the lady I should be for being a woman of stiff and snobbish upbringing, but I find the ways of Underland much more fitting for my muchness."

"And you are a hero of your people?" He didn't think she looked like much but he was never one to judge by size. It was the smallest who'd been the bravest and come the closest to facing him down. Even he had been too terrified to break the charm of the Escher room, but there was a moment of worry there when the ten year old got dangerously close.

"They seem to believe so." She gave a rather unladylike shrug. "I don't care much for being knighted or honored by a people that gave me so much more than I could ever hope to return."

"What can they offer that we don't have here?" He asked, relented when she raised an eyebrow at him. "I simply find myself unusually curious about the world across the desert and it's remarkably mad people.

"Alright." She turned to look straight at him, he could see her thinking it over. "Underland has color, more shades than I could imagine in my sleep, it has my home, my friends, the old windmill where my husband creates his hats." And finally, she held up her left hand and the ring she wore, it was a simple silver band with a stone that changed colors depending on mood. She still marveled at where Tarrant found it, but it sounded like something he'd do and it'd been perfect. "My husband. That's what the Underground can't offer me, your highness, and that's the only thing I care to have."

"Love is an illusion, created to make people believe they have something worth something." He held up a crystal, offered it to her. "It can be created, falsified, and manipulated."

"And you would offer me this, for what?" She didn't care to look at him or the crystal, so instead she picked up a small goblin child that had been crawling around underneath her feet and balanced him on her lap. "Why would I take a dream when I'm sure my husband won't fail?"

"You'll change your mind." He assured her when the child grabbed at her hair. "And when you realize his champion isn't up to the challenge you'll take my offer without guilt."

She got up and set the child in a window sill, where his mother sat laughing at the antics of another goblin chasing a chicken. But Alice acted like this was the most normal thing in the world. "You're naive for a king, and much less terrifying than I'd expect."

"No offense." He flashed a quick smile. "But your much too sane to have married a mad man and not cowardly enough to be a prisoner, but here we are. Besides, I have no reason to frighten you, you are not a runner of my labyrinth. I _am_ frightening."

"And you think that will deter Tarrant?" She watched the confirmation in his eyes. "Like I said, naive." She started to walk out, Goblins babbling all around her. With a laugh, she looked at him again. "I'm glad I was brought here, your majesty, for you have much to learn.

* * *

She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. When something moved in her pocket, she quickly removed Hatter from her pocket and set him down on the ground. "Where are we?" He groaned, feeling slightly nauseous.

She pulled the flashlight off of her belt, glad she remembered how dark parts of this place could be. "An oubliette." She smacked the flashlight against the rock walls when it wouldn't turn on, then like all crappy pieces of junk, it flickered back to life.

"A what?" He blinked as the bright beam of the odd light device affected his vision.

"Oubliette. It's a place to put people to forget about them." She was searching, but there was no sign of a magic door designed to look like a prank. He nodded, and unwillingly gave in to the need to pass out. She stared at him when no response came. "Poor guy, the drop must have been too much for him, being so small and all."

After a couple more minutes of searching, she knew he'd shown up, she could sense him, but she made no point in mentioning it.

He was watching her from the shadows. She looked so strangely familiar, enchanting, and sexy in her long white t-shirt, brown vest, and leggings. It was uncomfortable to be so attracted to this woman as if there'd never been another. When she tucked her mahogany hair behind her ear, he felt a strong pull, a connection between them that even simple lust couldn't explain.

He pulled a crystal out of the air, rolled it to her as he'd do with most anybody. She didn't, however, have the curiosity of most, picking it up and trapping themselves in an illusion. Sometimes they managed to escape but their time was almost always short once they remembered themselves. She didn't pick it up. She didn't look at it for more than a second. It seemed as if she knew exactly who and what he was when she spoke. "I'm not going to try and bludgeon you with my light."

He blinked, tried to understand how she could be so familiar with him. Clearing his throat, he stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself to her.

He was exactly how she remembered him, though certainly as an adolescent she hadn't noticed how well his pants fit in ALL the right places and the sight of his chest, half bare in his poet shirt hadn't cause fire to shoot right to her core. His eyes held an almost feral look that didn't seem quite sane and he wore that mask of an arrogant smirk that she saw now was a facade to hide something she could not name. "You're what they chose as their runner?" He didn't laugh, but she'd seen the flicker of amusement clear enough in the dark.

Hatter stirred but believed he was dreaming, this could not be the way things were supposed to happen.

She stepped closer to him, watched him fail at smothering his surprise. She'd thought good and hard during her daydreaming moments. And as there was no way she was going to beat this labyrinth again (for the first time?). Too many things had changed (will change?) and it was mostly luck and ignorance that got her so far the last time. So she might as well take a chance to live out some of her more tempting fantasies. "I had reasons of my own for coming here."

His smirk grew more profound. "And what would that be?"

"I intend to get to know the Goblin King a little better." She fussed with the edge of her t-shirt, unsure with how her honesty would be accepted.

"You're very bold for having just met me." He closed the distance until his face was just mere inches from hers. The lack of touch, the fact that they held themselves away from each other made the air between them intense and thick. He'd never felt such a powerful lust or at least not this sudden, for any one person before. And that made him uneasy because it meant that she had a kind of power over him. "How do you assume to keep me in one place long enough to achieve that?"

She grinned and acted quickly, picking up the crystal and shoving it into his hand. He felt the crystal brush the bare skin of his wrist and he inhaled deeply at the sensation of being caught inside his own spell. "Very clever." He rolled his eyes, wondered how long this little amusement would last.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it took so long, and sorry it's so short, I've been suffering a major case of writer's block. Not that it's any excuse, but then again, maybe it is. I don't know. Anyway, done with the irritating rambling.**

**disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or Alice in Wonderland... I wish, but no. **

**Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

At first he was disoriented, uncomfortably dizzy, and for a moment he felt infuriatingly human. He stood where he was until he had his head again, then looked to assess his situation. He'd never not been in control over his environment, always it was him who spun the magic of his crystal to mind his own purposes. So this was a new experience to say the least.

He didn't know how she'd managed to do it or if it was even intentional, but she'd trapped him as much as she'd trapped herself. No one was in control of the crystal, or of what would happen. This was a problem, he'd never trapped two people in the same crystal, it wasn't made for that. A crystal prison was supposed to create simply the prisoner's illusion, something they want, whether they knew what they wanted or not. So he wasn't sure how a crystal was to react with multiple persons, multiple wants. But until he found a way out, it was best to not give it a lot of thought. Instead, his thoughts turned to the woman who had brought them here.

He looked at her with curiosity. This woman who brought him to such a level of humanity here, was merely a human herself. But the sight of her, looking radiant as any of the fae and as stunning as a goddess. Any thoughts that she was just another runner flew out of his mind, in her there was a sort of power. A magic he wasn't sure about resisting.

They were amongst flowers and trees, a small garden path that never seemed to end. There was one huge tree that seemed to be the focal point and it was there she sat, swaying back and forth as an image of innocence. Flowers lined the ropes of the swing she sat in, pale pink and perfect, they also adorned her hair and her waist. Crisp green fabric contrasted the plants as her light spring dress fluttered in the breeze. Her eyes were closed and she said nothing. He felt pulled, practically drawn to her. If he didn't know better, he'd swear she'd cast a spell on him. And because he didn't see the point in fighting it, he went to her.

She smiled absently, freed her mind of everything she'd been worrying about. A place like this was not made for troubles. Every sensation was electric, the cool breeze against her face, the scent of the flowers and a body of water somewhere nearby, the sensation of the grass beneath her feet. A hand rested on her shoulder and she leaned back against Jareth a little. It didn't surprise him, he didn't even think about much about it. That intrigued her, probably more than it would have if he had stepped away. She wanted to be his friend, if not more, and she wanted him to trust her.

On that note, she said the first thing that was on her mind, uncensored, as a sign of her own trust. "This is the first time I've been at peace in such a long time." She murmured, sensed him tense at her words. She didn't like that he couldn't get comfortable with her, but she ignored it. Miracles didn't happen in moments, she had to work a little bit harder than that. But, as long as they were both hyper aware of the situation, she turned her curiosity on him. "Why do you have a problem getting personal? And don't even try to tell me it's not true."

"Don't know if you've noticed, but when it comes to intelligent life in my labyrinth, I'm about it. I live forever." He shrugged nonchalant. "Runners don't. Why concern yourself with getting close to someone just to watch them die? It's horribly depressing."

"You will someday." She smiled sadly. "There will be a girl who captures your attention and you'll want to get close. Maybe you'll dance, maybe she'll leave, but maybe you'll have such an impact on her life that she'd never be the same. But any way it goes, I'd bet you'll change too."

"You talk as if you've been on the receiving end of such." He twirled a flower between his fingers, ignored the haunted look that passed through her eyes. He told himself the topic was boring him, and that he wasn't searching for a new conversation to make her happy. "Your speech, you're not from any normal Aboveground place."

"I am." She wondered if she should be grateful that he changed topics, but instead she found it mildly irritating. She didn't need to be pitied. At his confused gaze, she shrugged. "I won't be born for a few more decades. Women will change a lot between now and then."

"You really believe I would fall for such a misdirection?" He laughed and she forced a smile.

"It's pretty unbelievable, isn't it." She shut her eyes against the sting, the feeling of rejection that came with his words. "So unbelievable I wouldn't fall for it if I didn't know better."

He studied her for a moment, went around to step in front of her. "You never mentioned, why is it you want to know me so much?"

When she opened her eyes again, he was right there. Their faces were inches apart, close enough so that she could feel his breath on her face. He wanted to lean down and capture her lips with his, but that would be improper. And even for what seemed to be a woman of no boundaries, he doubted she'd react well. Still, the little breath that caught her throat was enough to have him inching just a little closer. "Your question," She was having a hard time thinking again, why was it she always had such a long time. "I can't answer it, it's impossible."

"Such a pretty face for sadness," His fingers brushed her skin lightly, and she wondered when this gentle, romantic streak in him had disappeared. What changed the man into the scheming king a younger her would face in the future? Was it possible she'd simply misjudged the man? No, there was no hard edge to his eyes, not the way there would be (was?). Something had put it there, and she was clueless as to what it was. But one thing she knew to be a fact, she didn't intend to let him get away so easily this time.


	6. Chapter 6

Alice was stretched out on her bed, waiting for some kind of relief. She'd been reading a story to several of the younger goblins in the huge library somebody had showed her. It was a habit of hers, reading tales of adventure to somebody, she read to Thackery as a way to calm him down like an energetic child so that he would sleep. Oh, she missed him and his ever chaotic presence in her new life. She missed that odd accent that she knew was a variation of Tarrant's own madness. She missed having to dodge cups and other household items when he got too excited and his surprisingly affectionate nature when he got tired (oddly enough, crazy Thackery liked to cuddle, who knew?).

To be honest, he was so much like a child that she'd taken on the role of caretaker. Not to get her wrong, she knew he was an adult, his sane moments made that abundantly clear. But those moments were so brief and so rare that without someone to keep a steady eye on him he'd most nearly kill himself. All in all, it wasn't a bad thing, the idea of another life in her hands. In fact, she'd been forced to give it a lot more thought. And that brought her back to why she was lying in this bed. She'd been reading and had been overcome with nausea. After she'd turned a sickly green color, the goblin in charge of making sure she was comfortable had brought her here to lay down.

Idly, she wondered why her timing had to suck so badly all the time lately. It seemed she only threw up in the worst times and the worst places. Better yet, she wondered what kind of deity thought it would be funny to dump a woman in her condition in a situation like this. She looked over at the balcony, pondered if Tarrant was really coming for her. It was against the rules and he wouldn't want to risk forfeiting her freedom. Then again, Tarrant would feel so helpless left behind. Besides, he wouldn't trust her future in the hands of somebody he didn't know. No, he was definitely coming for her himself. He had to be. She didn't care what the rules said, Tarrant would want to do it himself.

She looked at the clock, nine hours left. Her thoughts turned sour. Even so, what if he didn't make it? Would Jareth take kindly to her condition? Would there be some kind of clause for this kind of situation? Wait, what was she thinking? She couldn't start doubting him now. She had to be strong in her belief... for everyone. Her arm rested on her stomach absently as she stared for any sign that this would all be over soon. There were things she needed to discuss with Tarrant, things she needed to tell him.

* * *

Sarah smiled easily, wondered if she should laugh or if it would be inappropriate. "You didn't."

He grinned. "Oh, but I did. Magicked five governesses right into the bog before anybody caught on. Would have kept on doing it if my sister hadn't figured it out and refused to let me alone with another governess."

They were walking, still surrounded by green life everywhere. For this moment it felt as if she'd known him forever. He was bright and funny, his smile was charming and quick. In many ways he was simply younger, more carefree and innocent. But in other ways, it seemed he was free. Free of whatever would bind him later in his life. It made her sad in ways she didn't expect to be sad.

Her hand was tucked into his arm, she couldn't help but smile at the small but gentlemanly gesture. Sure, it was natural for the time, but not for her. No guy ever offered his arm to a girl anymore. She liked it better when he did. Everything here in this dream was so much different from the worlds that either of them lived in. It was bright and open, something that his labyrinth and her home lacked. As she reached out to brush her finger against a flower of such a powerful and vibrant blue, she couldn't help but be curious. "Why is everything here so green, so beautiful?"

"It's the product of your imagination." He shrugged.

She shook her head with a laugh. "And who says it isn't a product of _your_ imagination?"

"Look at this place!" He stopped walking, made an exaggerated gesture at the their surroundings. "Like _I_ would dream up something so... feminine!"

"It's not feminine." She balked. He looked down at her and her heart caught in her throat. He was so close, so tempting, and there was something in his eyes that clouded her thoughts. "It's... well, I'm not sure what it is, but feminine isn't..."

He closed the distance between them, brushing his lips against hers tenderly. She let out a small sigh as his hand cupped her face, their lips soft and testing. She longed to be closer, but didn't want to risk him pulling away. So she let him control the kiss, the angle, the tone. This was what she'd dreamed about for all those years, this single moment when her world tipped on it's axis. And now that she was here, she couldn't get enough.

He pulled away, shame and apology in his eyes. "I am so sorry, I wasn't thinking. It was improper and inexcusable for me to..."

"Jareth," She laughed when she realized why he was so worried. "Where and when I come from, it's perfectly acceptable for a man to kiss a woman."

"You're not upset?" His voice was uncertain and if she wasn't already in love with him, she would have fallen then. So she stretched up on her toes and pressed her lips to his briefly, smiled when she stepped away. His own smile reflected her own. "I think I like this world of yours."

* * *

Tarrant paced back and forth in the small and dark oubliette. The flash light was on the ground, having flickered out some time before. He knew time had passed, hours possibly. And he also knew Sarah wasn't coming back. Because of that, she'd left him in a predicament. Sure, she probably knew what she was doing, and he trusted her to get done whatever it was she was trying to accomplish (though he couldn't see how pretending to be interested in him on a romantic level could solve anything). She knew what she was up to but he couldn't just stay here and wait for her to swoop in and save the day. He needed to go and get to Alice. He needed to be with her, because his time apart from her was pushing at the last of his sanity. This question of whether or not he'd ever see her again was playing with his mind, pushing him to the brink. Doing nothing would drive him to a level of insanity he wouldn't come back from.

He flinched when someone lit a match. He looked up to see Hoggle. Hoggle seemed to be confused when he found no one, not even the girl he'd been meant to follow. Well, Tarrant was not about to let an opportunity pass him up. "Excuse me." He called out to the seemingly huge dwarf.

"You." Hoggle spotted him, "What are you doing here?"

"Alice." Tarrant's neck was starting to hurt from looking up at such an angle so he reached into his pocket to pull out a bit of Upelkechun. Eating it quickly, he grew to his original height as Hoggle watched with wide eyes. "I must find her, though Miss Williams has gone and left me here in this place."

"You're not supposed to be here." Hoggle gulped as he took in the obvious Underland markings, he'd heard of these people from the world across the desert. And the insanity that went on there. To be honest, he was more afraid of these creatures of myth than he was of the king. "You need to leave."

Tarrant got down on one knee, scooped up his hat, and looked at Hoggle with imploring eyes. "I must find my wife, but I cannot do it alone. You would have my everlasting gratitude if you would assist me."

Hoggle gave him a bland stare. "If the king finds out, I'll get worse than the bog. You're not supposed to be here."

"Look, ye' slithy mis'rble toad," Something in Tarrant's eyes shifted and Hoggle shifted on his feet as Tarrant's eyes started changing to that threatening red. " Ye' can go abou' this one o' two ways. We can be friends o' I can use me consider'ble..."

"Alright." Hoggle stopped him, not wanting to know the end of Tarrant's rant. "I'll help ya. But know this, first sign of trouble and I'm out."

Tarrant smiled and held out his hand. "Would no' 'ave it any other way."


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, here's the next chapter... Hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Sarah woke up in the dark. An empty feeling filled her when she realized she wasn't dreaming any more. That feeling was replaced with heated anger. Why would he do such a thing? They'd been talking, just talking, and then, next thing she knew, he was hurling rocks at the still surface of the lake. In that moment, he shattered their shared world. And after getting so close to who and what she wanted, she woke up alone.

But in any drastic way, did this change things? She couldn't see how. They both still had jobs to do. She couldn't let Hatter down, not when he trusted her with his wife's freedom. But how could she tell Jareth that he had no power over her when it was anything but the truth?

Well, whatever she decided to do, she couldn't do it in the dark. She felt along the walls, stumbled on an entrance of sorts. Whens he stepped into the adjoining chamber, a soft light filled the room. She stared up at the glowing orbs that floated around at ceiling level.

They were beautiful, more colors than she ever thought possible. She'd acknowledged the power Jareth had before, but to see it in such a raw form was... well, breathtaking would be an understatement. One floated down and circled around her. When she held out her hand, it floated centimeters above her palm. In all actuality, if she touched it it might have disappeared but it almost seemed as if she could put it in her pocket.

Jareth wasn't doing this, though his magic was tied to it. Still, it was like he was showing her yet another side of himself. The light bobbled then drifted away from her. Enchanted by it, she followed.

* * *

It led her through yet another opening and she hesitated. What if the orb wasn't as friendly as she assumed it was. What if this was some kind of insane trap. Nothing was what it seemed, wasn't that the lesson she'd been forced to learn on her first trip through the labyrinth. Then again, this labyrinth didn't have quite the same cold and unfriendly edge as the one she'd previously faced. The labyrinth seemed to have changed with the man, and it made her even more curious as to his change. But that was neither here nor there. As she faced the decision before her, a large shadow loomed in the corner of the room where the orbs danced upon the air.

Tarrant was tired and it felt like they'd been walking for hours. Needless to say, he was not in the soundest state of mind. "You know what time it is back home, brillig. Me, my wife, and my friends would be drinking tea and Alice would look at me with those eyes when it's time to end our party and we'd all clean up, or else face Alice's wrath. Oh, tea time is wonderful, isn't it."

Hoggle looked at the man he'd grown strangely fond of the more he rambled. He put on his best grumpy face and let out a sigh. Tarrant just nodded and took that to be confirmation. "Yes, indeed. Tea time is superb, excellent, perfect, brilliant..."

"Hatter." Hoggle had found out quickly that if he didn't stop Hatter soon he tended to go on forever. But he found he didn't mind the company, such as it was. "We're getting close."

"Right." Tarrant looked at the piles of junk with curiosity. "Hey, what's this?"

Hoggle turned, but not soon enough, Tarrant was headed straight for then path between two seemingly innocent rag dolls. "Hatter, no!"

But as he crossed, Hoggle was too late. There was a quick flash in the dolls' eyes and Hatter stopped for a moment, looked around confused. "Hatter?" Hoggle walked up to the poor man, knowing that he'd be suffering amnesia until he figured things out for himself. Most runners blame the fruit they find along the way, but Hoggle knew better. Those dolls were nothing less than a cunning trap.

"Do you know why they call me Hatter?" Tarrant had an amused expression on his face.

"Because you wear a hat?" Hoggle guessed randomly.

"No!" Tarrant shouted suddenly. Then jumped into an explanation, something about philanthropy and passing the hat. Hoggle, however, simply turned and started around the large trap.

* * *

Alice glanced up briefly when Jareth entered the library, but returned her attention to the book she was reading. Naturally, she had to fight off her curiosity about his sudden disappearance, but she did anyway because she wasn't quite in the mood for games.

Then he spoke and she had no choice but to listen, "They tell me you're not feeling well."

"That would be a mild misconception. I've never felt better in my life. But if you are referring to my incident earlier, it's to be expected when one finds themselves in my current condition. Now, is there anything I can do for you? Something to do with the runner, perhaps?"

"Am I that transparent?" He shifted uncomfortably as he wondered whether she'd find him rude and assuming if he sat down?

"It's all in your eyes." She paused, smiled. "And the place has been buzzing about the beauty with brown hair and a funny hat for the last little while. As Tarrant's chosen runner, I would only assume he'd given her his hat as some kind of symbol. So, don't keep me in suspense anymore. Sit down and tell me about her."

He did sit, grateful for the easy friendship she was offering him. It didn't seem to matter to her that she was his prisoner, she just seemed willing to lend an ear and an opinion. He wouldn't refuse it now. "She's unusual. She's sarcastic, witty, and funny, but there's something so serious and sad about her. She gets this look like she's contemplating something huge and sometimes she's so sad. But then she smiles and it's impossible to imagine her ever being so sad. I'd have stayed forever, just walking with her."

"Then why didn't you?" Alice's question was soft and serious.

"She's not here for me, she's here for you." He stood quickly, wandered to a shelf and pretended to look. " I don't get attached, runners come and go. She'll go back to her own world and this will cease to be more than a fond chapter in a dream. And it hardly matters, she is nothing more than a pleasant distraction." He started for the door with a serious look on his face. "Nothing more than a distraction, she'd probably planned that. Tricky one, this runner." And she could see in his face that he had regressed to thinking of her as nothing more than a challenge. Voluntarily, but still.

Alice shook her head at his sad and worked up state, trying to hold in her laughter. "You're trying so hard to convince me that you've fooled yourself as well."

"Are you suggesting I am a fool?" He turned with the quirk of an eyebrow.

"Yes indeed, your majesty." The emphasis on his title made it clear that she was mocking it at the current moment. She shut the book she was reading slowly, kept her hand in the pages as to not lose her progress. "You're in love with her, whether you care to admit it or not. Anyway this ends, it's going to hurt you and I'm sorry for that. But you'll be a fool until you can acknowledge what I've just told you and make the most of it."

He came back and sat down with a strange look on his face. "I'm not in love with a woman I've hardly met, but it'd hardly be beneficial to argue with you as your mind is already made up. Well, it seems you know all my secrets, or in this case non-secrets. So tell me, what are you hiding?"

* * *

**What happened in the crystal? And what secret is Alice hiding? Who's lurking in the darkness? And will Tarrant's memory make a full recovery? Well, we'll all just have to wait to find out. **

**Oh, can anyone find the movie nodd? (Hint: think sci-fi channel and Andrew Lee Potts)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Just something short. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or Alice in Wonderland, though I would like to.**

**Thank you for the reviews :)**

* * *

"Who's there?" Sarah could feel a tingle down her spine, one that told her she wasn't alone. It was an instinct she'd learned to perfect when she was younger, her stepmother hiding around every corner and judging her every time she turned around. She knew someone was there, but she didn't allow herself to panic. It felt like someone she'd met before. Unfortunately that could go one of two ways. It could be one of her friends or it could be any of the numerous goblins and trouble she'd met along the way. Either way, she wasn't sure it would be a good thing. Better to face it now then to worry about it forever. "I know you're there, I'm not going to hurt you. Please. I'm you're friend."

"Fwend?" A deep and simple voice met her ears and she had to fight a smile.

"Ludo? Is that you?"

"Know Ludo?" The voice asked and she couldn't help but step toward the voice.

"Yes, Ludo." She nodded. "My name's Sarah."

"Sawah?" Ludo stepped out and looked at her with those impossibly hopeful eyes. "Sawah and Ludo fwends?"

"Of course." She took his hand as he gave her a silly grin. "Ludo, do you live here?"

Ludo bobbed that big head of his. "Ludo's home."

"Then you know the way out." She smiled hopefully. He nodded his large head. "Can you show me?" He nodded again as he led her away.

* * *

Hoggle rolled his eyes as they reached the city. The Hatter still had no recollection of why they were there and Hoggle didn't think he could take much more of the Hatter's colorful personality. "Look." He hid the man who was now back to thinking of words that begin with the letter M. "That's where your wife is."

"Nonsense." Hatter laughed outright. "Alice is in Underland."

"Then what are you doing there?" Hoggle pointed out. He needed something, anything to snap Hatter out of his forgetfulness. "Don't you think that maybe you're here because you wished her away?"

"That's ridiculous!" Hatter appeared offended at the suggestion, Hoggle briefly wondered how he would take it when he realized that it wasn't that ridiculous. "I would never do such a thing."

"Then we go to the castle." Hoggle had to remind himself to keep his temper even. "Prove me wrong."

Hatter nodded stiffly, marched ahead without another word.

* * *

Sarah didn't know how this was getting anywhere. They'd spent what must have been at least an hour walking in a large circle and now they stood exactly where they were in the first place. "Ludo, I thought you knew the way."

"Ludo lost." The creature hung his head when Sarah gave him a disbelieving look. Out of all the things she could describe him as, she never once thought he was as stupid as he sounded. "Ludo do what king asked."

"It's alright." She hated that Ludo felt guilty. He was simply doing what he'd been ordered to and she was forced to think of how Hoggle had done the same thing. A younger her would be so mad, in her mind, the fact that they were friends outranked the order Jareth gave. She wasn't sure which mindset was better. But she also couldn't be around him if she couldn't trust him completely. "Goodbye, Ludo."

"Bye, Sawah." He had this kicked puppy look on his face and all she could do was hug him before walking off to find her own way out.

* * *

Alice was full of talk, Jareth tried to convince himself. She was one of those people who saw love around every corner. In her mind, a man wasn't happy until he found himself a wife. For her, it was cupid, sunshine, and gooey looks. She was foolish and...

And who was he trying to fool. If there was ever a person with a healthy outlook on love and life, it was probably her. She wasn't trying to set him up, she didn't manipulate her way into his friendship, and yet in a matter of hours she had managed to become a voice of reason in his head. And that voice verbally smacked him every time he tried to deny his emotions concerning Sarah.

He had to be sure before he did anything foolish, he told himself, and in order to be sure he had to see her. He had to talk to her. Acting on that, he summoned her.

* * *

It had become unbelievably dark in the tunnels. So far she'd managed to use the walls to find her way, but she had no clue where she was going and was inescapably lost. She just hoped that all this was worth it. That she somehow managed to save Alice and survive the broken heart she would cause herself when she chose duty over love. Her and Jareth were never going to get their shot, it just wasn't meant to be. She could accept that and while she was sure of it, she also was sure that it would hurt like hell but there was nothing she could do about that.

Too busy thinking to be careful, she stepped wrong and fell. There was a sharp snap in her ankle as she landed on it funny and she hit the ground. In the same moment, she spotted the crystal floating toward her in the darkness. The strange glow it had captivated her, even as she felt herself growing numb.


	9. Chapter 9

**So, I've had this typed for about a week, issue was having time to get online and post it. So, here's the next installment. I can't guarentee when the next one will be up, because I've got another project going at the same time (Guardianship will be posted relatively soon). So, I'm gonna skip the disclaimer because obviously I don't own Alice in Wonderland or Labyrinth and get right onto the story. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Alice looked out the window of her room, the door was unlocked but she preferred the quiet and peace here compared to the goblin ruckus in the other rooms of the castle. She was far past seeing though as she sifted through memories. She'd had her happily ever after, if she was being honest. She'd literally married the man of her dreams. Now she had yet another choice to make. As a friend, Jareth was already high on her list. In hindsight, it might have been the act that he was human and not another special talking animal. But still, she didn't want to keep him from his own happy ending. So she knew what she would do when the time came. She knew what it would cost her, but she would do it for Jareth because he'd had no reason to extend to her the amount of kindness that he had.

And if she'd been looking she might have seen the green hat bob it's way through the empty goblin city. But the weight of her decision, as it tore at her heart, made her want to weep.

* * *

Sarah's eyes were brimming as she shoved to her feet. She 'd woken up in a wooden chair in an unfamiliar place and had, understandably, freaked when she felt a hand brush her arm. The pain in her ankle was excruciating to put it mildly. Jareth shoved her back down into the chair he'd put her in. " You just stay there." Before she could argue he'd knelt on the ground and grabbed her ankle carefully, sliding the boot off of her foot to examine the damage.

Desperate to forget the throbbing pain,s he focused on her current metaphorical rock and hard place. A doozy. She was in love with Jareth, with the sides she'd met today and the sides she'd already seen. That she knew for a fact. But she couldn't just make a decision based on that and ruin that poor woman's life, plus the damage it would do to the wonderful Hatter. Why did she ever even open her door? She could be blissfully numb right now, living in the delusion that she could move on from the Goblin King. Or at least, that was what she chose to believe and accept.

"Sarah." His voice called her back from her self pity with his indifferent tone, though she knew he was anything but uncaring. Meeting those cool, mismatched eyes, she forgot everything but the taste of his lips at the lake. She reached up, pulled his mouth down to hers and relished in reliving the tastes and sensations that came with the bliss of having Jareth's lips move against her own. He pulled away as the breath caught in her throat. Too soon, she wanted to whine, but the look in his eyes kept her silent. "Let me finish your ankle, honey, then you can assault me again if that is your desire." She caught the humor in his voice even as he shot her down.

She watched with touched fascination as he began wrapping it with sturdy cloth as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Almost like no time had passed since they were walking at the lake. Then she remembered why she was mad at him. "You didn't even say goodbye, Jareth."

"I know." He shook his head slowly, digging for an explanation other than that he was a coward. "I lived alone for so long, my manners aren't very good."

She wasn't buying it but let it slide. "I love you, Jareth. I want you to know that..." He pressed a little too hard on her ankle, causing a sharp intake of air. "Either way this ends, it's not because I don't love you."

"You can't just say that." He growled, sending a thrilled chill down her spine. It was wrong, but his frustration turned her on. Like, really turned on. "Words mean little when you intend to dishonor them by tossing my heart into the wind when you think you've won."

"Would you ask me to prove it?" She rose again, ignoring the pain this time and looking down at him with fire in her eyes.

He was on his feet before she could blink, his height still towering over her but instead of intimidating her, it excited her. "Would you try if I asked?"

She didn't back down, but rather gave him that look that he would later recognize as her stubborn look. "What would you have me do?"

"Would you let me kiss you when I wanted to?" His voice got dangerously soft as he touched her face, chuckled as he brushed the pads of his thumb over her plump lips. "Of course you would. You've already proved as such. Would you let me court you?" She could only nod, not caring if it was possible or not, not as long as he didn't stop. His fingertips skimmed down her neck and over her bare shoulders. Damn her scattered brain for not realizing before that he'd changed her into something different before waking up. Now she was painfully aware that she stood in only a camisole and a long skirt with a slit that traveled practically the entire distance up her leg as he seduced her. "Would you marry me?" He had stepped close so that his breath tickled her face. "Be mine for the rest of eternity?"

"I..." She couldn't formulate a sentence but she knew the answer had to be no.

"Yes or no, Sarah." His lips touched her jaw tenderly, he could feel her melt at the touch.

"I, uh... I..." She couldn't think anymore, could only react. Taking a shaky breath, she nodded. "Yes."

He took her hand, entwined their fingers and never took his lips more than an inch away from her skin. "Would you let me make love to you?"

She pulled him down to her, kissed him fiercely. "You don't even have to ask."

His tongue traced her bottom lip, seeking entrance. She granted it, yanking him as close to her as physically able. His hands moved against her back, moving smoothly to grasp her hips and hold her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Working at the material of his shirt, she managed to gasp out a few words before he made her breathless. "How far is it to the bedroom?"

He chuckled, turned and took a couple of steps before dropping her on the bed and hovering over her. She rolled her eyes. "You could have just said that."

"Mine." Was all he said before proving to her just how much she belonged to him.

* * *

Hatter strode through the city, determined and unstopped. Thought that may have had more to do with nobody being around rather than Hatter's sword fighting. "Impossible!" Hoggle wondered if the end could be this easy. If it had been up to him there'd be some kind of warrior standing wait. Maybe a multitude of goblin soldiers at the ready if they get past there. But then again, he was simply the gardener.

Tarrant pushed the huge doors open and turned to grin at the strange dwarf. "Only if you believe it is, small lad, only you believe it is."

He continued onward and Hoggle just shook his head, "That don't make no sense. No sense at all."

"Exactly." Hatter shouted from ahead, not bothering to look back.

"Shh..." Was the only reply he received. Then the castle could hear hopeful laughter mixing in with the feral sounds on the fifth floor and the sorrowful weeping on the third.

* * *

**Uh oh... What is Alice planning? Will Sarah stay and marry the king? And how long will they stay unnoticed if Tarrant keeps laughing like that? Nobody knows! (Not even me, as my muse just returned and is in full gear), So tune in next time to find out!**

**P.S. Review please... anything... questions... jokes... suggestions... I'm all ears. The person with the most comments might even get a special prize :) rules regarding prize... **

**1) must be more than just "Good job" or any variation. If you can't come up with something else, tell me what you liked best**

**2)can be no more than 1 per chapter starting now (cannot go back and rereview on an old chapter)**

**3)length and content will be taken into consideration when counting.**

**Please review! Thanks :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright, boring stuff out of the way first... Disclaimer: I do not own blah, blah, blah, weep, weep, blah, blah... :)**

**For more exciting news, this is the scoring for the reviews contest...**

**In first place..._ Nanenna_!**

**In second place... _Vi-Violence!_**

**Congrats and keep reviewing to win :D.**

**Okay, onto the story, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Hatter!" Alice leaped up from her chair by the window when the doors burst open to reveal a toothy grin.

"Alice." He practically ran to her, took her by the waist and kissed her soundly. "Dear Alice, I can't believe I found you. I mean, of course I can because I'm here and you're here so obviously I found you, but it seemed almost impossible. Although in retrospect I know nothing is impossible so it should have been surprising. Still..."

"Hatter." She threw her arms around his neck so that she could stay as close to him as possible for as long as possible. "You're not supposed to be here. If Jareth catches you, you'll have to forfeit." She kissed his lips, soaked up as much of his taste and sensation as she could.

"I couldn't just leave my wife in the hands of a stranger." He said simply. And his words, although she didn't understand how, snapped her out of her euphoria.

"Darling," Alice put her hands on his cheeks to get his undivided attention. "You must go, your place is Underland and the hat shop, my place is to stay here so that another maybe happy."

"Alice, you're talking in riddles." His brow furrowed in confusion.

"No more than usual." She stepped away, almost afraid of his reaction. "Jareth's in love, Tarrant. I can only presume she is your runner. If I stay, he won't have to watch her leave. You remember what's that was like."

"But your home, our home, Underland..." The green faded a bit.

"Will have their hatter and our child." Alice rested her hand on her stomach absently. "That will have to do."

He froze mid-argument, looked at her funny. "Alice forgive me for being quite befuddled but I could have sworn you were trying to tell me your pregnant in the same sentence you're using to break my heart."

The sob she'd been holding in as he stared at her with hurt eyes racked through her. "T... Ta... Tar..."

"Out with it, woman!" His shout made her flinch and caused her blood to chill. She'd observed his wrath, the moments when his madness was out of control and she'd have to calm him down before he hurt someone. She'd never been on the receiving end, however and while she knew he'd never lay a hand on her, not her. She didn't want to him to hurt himself either. He stepped toward her and that was all it took for her to sink to the ground weeping. "Tarrant, please! I have to do this. Don't you see? I love home and I love you, but Jareth needs my help. If I let you and Sarah win, she'll have to leave too and it'll crush him. It's already crushed him."

"Alice." His eyes dimmed until they were just yellow. He looked as emotionally drained as she felt. He was down on his knees before she could respond, pulling her into his arms. "I know you mean it, but even if I went along with this madness, she can't stay."

"Why not?" Alice shook her head slowly. "No, now is not the time for such details. I'm staying, Tarrant."

"Fine, you know under ordinary circumstances, I would never consider making a decision for you..." He got up, distanced himself so that she couldn't silence him. He remembered the words... he hoped. That part of the tale was always a bit foggy in his mind "Through dangers untold and hardships un... uncounted?"

"Tarrant, stop it!" Alice knew he'd never give up, not unless she hurt him. She didn't want to hurt him. "Hatter," She spoke quieter, like she'd done when she proposed. Yes, she was the one to propose. "I don't want to go back with you."

The state he'd worked himself up into deflated as he stood there staring at her. "You don't?"

"No. I love Underland, but not enough to call it home any more." She sat on the bed and picked up a book, the indifferent act breaking her own heart along with his. If he bought this and let her go, it'd be her own fault and she might just die in her unhappiness. "Go home, Tarrant, go home."

"If she'd looked up, she'd have seen his eyes go that color again, but she didn't, so she was taken by surprise when his Outlandish accent growled. "I 'ave a fe' choice words for ye', lassie."

* * *

Sarah layed there until Jareth's breathing became shallow. Their warm bodies were entangled together and the sheets were twisted around her legs. She was sore in places she didn't know could get sore and the idea of, you know, just falling asleep there was strangely appealing. But somewhere in the castle, the ticking of a clock kept her grounded. She couldn't dream or hope for the happily ever after he was planning.

He'd forgotten, in the heat of the moment, why she was here. She was here from a whole other words, a century apart. Or at least, almost. She couldn't seriously marry him. Even if Hatter found Alice and figured out how to get her home. She would have to go with them. He would look for her and he'd worry if she left without saying goodbye but she loved him to much to be able to say it to his face. He knew how to seduce her into accepting his will and when the clock struck thirteen... if the clock struck thirteen , she'd disappear to someplace else (She hadn't thought about THAT before, but now that she had, it bothered her. However, she couldn't panic about that now).

As she wormed her way out of his arms, barely stirring him, she spotted the desk. Quietly, she sat and grabbed a paper and quill. Dipping it in the ink, she considered where to begin. And thought it best to be brief.

Jareth,

I love you, I've proven that I believe. But I cannot stay here. You don't know how much it hurts to say this, but I want you to hate me. Hate me, forget me, but don't pine for me. I think we shall meet again, actually I know we will. But I will not love you then, I won't even really recognize you. You will understand one day, but for today, this is what I have to do.

Love forever,

Sarah

She left it in plain view, not knowing he'd see it when he woke. Slowly and quietly, she put on her clothes before looking at him again. If she'd thought she was in love with him before, it was nothing compared to the warm glow in her heart now. She'd dream about this every night and it would hurt every second. But she couldn't bring herself to regret a moment of it.

In a moment of sentimental weakness she went to him and pressed a kiss to his lips. He stirred a little and her heart raced, she couldn't break his heart to his face. She fled.

"Sarah?" A voice asked groggily. The voice of a man who'd woken alone.

* * *

Sarah had to find Alice and hope that she didn't have to be in the Escher room with Jareth for this to work. Problem was,she had no idea where to even start looking for the woman.

Then she heard the shouting. The Hatter! Was it possible he'd already found his Alice? Why was he not rejoicing if that was the case?

She followed the sound of his voice, threw open the door to the room she'd assumed was Alice's. It was. Alice sat on the bed, looking at the Hatter with tear filled eyes. And Hatter paced in circles, ranting and throwing his hands every which way. He truly was mad.

Sarah stepped farther into the room. "You're scaring her."

He stopped pacing and just stared at Sarah for a minute. "Good." He said finally. "Maybe I can scare some sense into her." Sarah didn't say anything. "She wants to stay."

Sarah went and sat in front of Alice. "I thought you loved your husband."

Alice wiped at her eyes until they were dry. "I love him more than anything."

"Then why don't you want to go home?"

"If I leave..." Alice spoke slowly, still trying to convince herself of this choice. "Then you leave."

Sarah shook her head. "I don't follow."

"Jareth loves you. I've seen for myself how fragile his heart is, not that he'd ever admit it to anyone but he's much more breakable than he looks. If you leave, after he's let himself be open to that kind of damage, he'll shut himself off. He'll become cruel and cold. People will suffer."

Tarrant who had been listening with the patience of a four year old settled next to Alice. Sarah cleared her throat, overwhelmed with the memory of just how cruel he thought he could be. She couldn't see it in him now, bur she knew he would be, was... migrane. But her thoughts digress, Tarrant in all of his madness must have forgotten to mention the part where she couldn't stay even if she wanted to.

Just as she opened her mouth to tell her such, she heard the commotion of feet and chatter. "Jareth will be here any second." She grabbed Alice's arm and yanked her off the bed, taking off in a sprint. Hatter followed close behind and when Sarah thought they were far enough away from Alice's room and tucked out of sight, she stopped. "Long story short, I'm the first person to actually beat the labyrinth I won't be born for decades, meaning if I stay then the events of my first journey could be altered and if I stay here, everything that transpired after that would be effected will change. In short, it would be a disaster if I stayed."

Alice thought about this far a second. "I understand, I think." She shot Hatter an amused but scolding look. "For future reference, next time let's _not_ choose somebody who could severely screw up time. Not that I don't like her, but it's much too complicated."

"Sill Alice." He called as Sarah started running again with Alice only feet behind. "For future reference, we'll simply not have a next time." He stood there for a few moments before taking off after them. The sound of feet grew louder and louder and Tarrant wondered just how many little goblins were in pursuit. Then again, he wasn't about to stop and check.

* * *

**Okay, so the rules for the contest are simply as follows...**

**Review please... anything... questions... jokes... suggestions... I'm all ears. The person with the most comments might even get a special prize :) rules regarding prize... **

**1) must be more than just "Good job" or any variation. If you can't come up with something else, tell me what you liked best**

**2)can be no more than 1 per chapter starting now (cannot go back and rereview on an old chapter)**

**3)length and content will be taken into consideration when counting.**

**Please review! Thanks :)**

**OH, I ALMOST FORGOT, THE FIRST PERSON TO REVIEW ON THIS CHAPTER GETS TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO KNOW WHAT THE PRIZE IS :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry! I've had this written for forever but then I lost it before I could type it, then I got busy switching computers and all that jazz. I lost my records in the process so I have to go through and count up the reviews again but if I'm not mistaken Nanenna is still in 1st place!**

* * *

The door slammed shut behind them, Tarrant jumped at the sound and scared Alice. She stumbled but both reached out and managed to set her right. The moment, however, knocked his hat off his head. They watched in horror as it tumbled down and landed on a ledge (above him?). Sarah was standing at the edge, remembering. Why was she always remembering?

"Alice." She said finally, holding her hand out to the woman. "Close your eyes and believe."

Alice glaced down then squeezed her eyes shut in fear, not for herself but for the unborn child she was protecting. "But there's not a bottom." Sarah squeezed her hand reassuringly. Hatter came over and took her other hand. "I can't. I can't. I can't."

Over Alice's panic, Sarah was the first to hear it, a sound much like that a of a single chord on the piano. It was low and sent chills through Sarah's fingers. Another chord and Sarah shoved the Hatter off of the ledge before they could be joined.

Alice screamed as she too was thrown into the endless abyss by the apologetic Sarah.

Sarah prepared to jump, looked over the edge to see Jareth standing there. Her heart jumped in her throat. She could jump and break the illusion, but a force took over over her body much as it had before (will do?). This time it felt different, like she wasn't meant to fear this moment like she had.

**How you turn my world, you precious thing**

She turned and fainted off the edge, coming down so that he caught her as she opened her mouth unwillingly. She couldn't stop this, wanted nothing more than to stop it, to flee. But she couldn't.

_You starve and near exhaust me_

He let her go so that they were standing together but apart. He reached out to touch her face and she stepped away, eyes searching for an escape as he continued. She didn't like being forced into a choreography for a song she knew all too well.

**Every thing I've done I've done for you**

Oh what the hell, she decided, if she couldn't win by fighting it, she could play along. It wasn't as if what they were saying wasn't the truth anyway. In fact, it was scary how much more accurate it was now than the first time.

_I move the stars for no one_

She took off, like a game of tag, forgetting gravity in her efforts to evade Jareth. He was fast behind her.

**You've run so long, you've run so far**

She whipped around at yet another ledge to face him, spitting her next words at him so that they burned as fire.

_Your eyes can be so cruel_

He stopped his approach toward her and she shook her head sadly.

_Just as I can be so cruel_

He held his hand out to her. Offering her, she knew, the chance to still come with him. The chance to still love him.

**Oh I do believe in you**

No longer acting, she reached out to brush her fingers against his lightly. For a few seconds she considered the impossible.

**Yes I do**

She retracted her hand and turned to face the ledge, tears streaked down her face as she sang what she knew whe'd regret for longer than she would have if she just left.

_Live without the sunlight_

He grabbed her arm and weak, she met his eyes.

**Love without your heart beat**

It would be impossible, she reminded herself as thier faces grew close. Her cheeks were cold with the wet and a mere inch before thier lips met she stopped and held back. She had to.

_I can't..._

The spell broke and she felt thier moment had passed. She jumped.

_Live within you_

She fell much as she had done before but there was no wonder this time, just fear. Could she manage to say it? Had she gotten this far just to fail? Jareth had her heart, which was more power than she had. Did she really give up everything just to lose Alice now? The thought was too much.

She landed and Hatter and Alice caught her as she crumbled into a shaking mess. Jareht stepped out and Hatter released her to stand between the two. "She needs a moment."

"Her moment is up." Jareht said cooly, smiled at him with an amost friendly tone. "Your breaking the rules."

"Damn the rules!" Alice shouted from where she sat around a finally broken Sarah. she looked at Tarrant and with a final nod, accepted that there would be pain of loss on both sides when this was over. "Do what you must, Tarrant."

Hatter straightened. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered."

"It won't work." Jareth's smile turned to ice. "Do this and you will lose."

"I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city." Tarrant's voice faltered and Jareth laughed.

"Sarah, you've been wicked. Seducing me to get here was a move I'd never expected." Jareth stepped toward her, the aloof gesture made Sarah tremble more violently. She could feel Alice's hand rubbing her arm, trying to calm her down.

"Sarah," Alice petted her hair soothingly, her voice never betraying how scared she was that this was it. "Tarrant can't remember the words. i know it hurts, but it's up to you."

Sarah nodded, forced her eyes to meet Jareths. She had to believe them she knew, one phrase at a time then. "For my will is as strong as yours."

"fine." Sarah didn't think it was possible but he stood even straighter. "If you won't take my dream, you'll at least take my nightmare."

With his words, her body contorted in pain and a scream let loose from her lips. Behind her eyes were images of torture, vivid feelings of violation, and the sights and smells of death. She forced her eyes open again, hoping the images and sick feeling would just go away, that she would stop writhing with the pain that set every nerve on fire. She couldn't even scream anymore. He was just watching her, she could see her own pain in his eyes but there was no emotion in his own. "Give in, Sarah, surrender and all the pain will go away."

Alice rose from her place at Sarah's side, her fists clenched at her sides. "You love her." She didn't questiong what she knew about the man and she knew he loved the girl. "Why are you hurting her?"

His voice was barely audible when he finally spoke. "I'd have given her anything, asked for nothing."

And Alice understood what he couldn't say. He needed to break her as she had broken him. "Jareth." She ran her fingers through his platinum locks in a gesture that shouldn't be familar but was as comforting as one. "She's already broken. She loves you, but she can't stay."

He moved quickly, almost too quickly as he twisted her arm behind her back and held her in a painful grip. Thier conversation turned to harsh whispers mixing with soothing ones and Hatter didn't dare try to aid his wife. He could only fall to the ground next to Sarah and beg.

"Sarah, brave Sarah... please..." He grabbed her shoulders, searched her wet and glazed over eyes. "You have to finish. Alice is in trouble... the pain will go away if you finish it." He watched her mouth open and nothing more than a strangled gasp escaped. "That's it, Sarah, you can do it."

She focused on the words, the sounds she had to make. "Aaand mmy k...kingdome iss as greaatt." She managed, the words not sounding quite right to her ears.

Her vision hazed at the edges, her sight blurred and she felt so sleepy. Sleep to escape the torture in her mind. "Almost there, Sarah." Hatter cheered her on quietly from her side. "A little more, just a little more."

"I... want to... sleep." she couldn't fight the numbness the pain brought anymore, her eyelids drooping heavily.

"Not yet, my champion Sarah, not yet. Please. You've come so far." He shook her until she lay with her eyes wide open.

She nodded, "Help... up."

He stared at her for a moment before jumping to his feet. "Oh, of course." He wrapped his arm around her waist and hoisted her up. She stood weakly, knowing that if he let go she'd fall.

"Jareht." she winced as a new wave of pain crashed over her and his mismatched eyes met hers. She had to make sure he heard her, to know that she was cutting her tie to him. She didn't wish him pain even as he tortured her. Her breath was heavy and thick. "You have no power over me."

And with the last of her will power spent, and the labyrinth won, she fainted, her mind and body exhausted from the torture and emotional rollercoaster of the journey.

The floor fell apart around them and Alice's world exploded with color.

* * *

**Keep reviewing to win! If your not interested in winning, review anyway if you have any ideas/suggestions/comments. Please!**


	12. Chapter 12

**i know these are so short but inspiration is coming in small bursts so there's nothing I can do about it. 1st place is still Nanenna (If I spelled that wrong, I apologize.) and she is by far my favorite reviewer now (not in a creepy way but your reviews are genuine rather than just "good job"). Anyway, here's this next chapter. no promises when the next one will be up.**

* * *

"She can't return like this." Alice reached down to brush the hair out of the sleeping girl's eyes. They'd brought her to the hospital wing of the castle and Sarah had been cleaned up, her ankle was fully repaired, and she was resting. That was three days ago and she hadn't woken up. The queen was starting to talk about sending her back to her own time.

"Darling, we must." Tarrant watched her rest one hand on her stomach absently while she continued to play with Sarah's hair. "The queen ordered it."

"No, Tarrant." Alice hated seeing the girl's brow furrow as if she was having a nightmare. They'd have no idea how she was doing until she woke up again. "She needs time. Even if she is perfectly fine physically, she's still going to need to heal. Besides, what would her family think if they saw her like this?"

"Once the queen's mind is made up, it's impossible to change it." Tarrant came over and ran his fingers through Alice's curls fondly, glad to have her back in his reach.

She shook her head, "You of all people know it's only impossible if you believe it is. Or is that just when it's convenient for you?"

He blinked at her, taken aback. "Alice, I..."

She spoke guiltily. "I'm sorry, Hatter, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just worried, that's all."

"I know, love." He squeezed her shoulder lightly. "I'll go see if I can get the queen to see reason."

"Thank you." She gave him a small smile and turned back to Sarah. "You'll be alright."

* * *

When she resurfaced, she'd heard nothing and she couldn't open her eyes. And then she felt something scramble up onto her chest. " When's she gonna wake up?" She heard a small voice ask.

A rough Scottish accent replied. "Mally, ge' down 'fore 'atta ca'ches ye."

"He ain't gonna do anything." The creature might as well have been standing on her face, it's clawlike feet almost pierced the skin and she could only think of a mouse. "Not like she can feel it anyway."

Something warm and furry patted her hand. What were these things in her room? "Poor lass, don't want to wa' up, does she? I don' blame 'er, bee' a rough 'rip all 'round."

* * *

Mally's voice warmed a little, "Suppose so. Come on, Thackery, let's go see what's keepin' Hatter." Sarah drifted back off into unconsciousness.

"Sarah needs you when she wakes up, Hatter." Sarah was just beginning to wake up again, but she couldn't break through to open her eyes still, let alone move. She heard Alice's voice through the mist in her brain. "She recognizes you. It'll be strange waking up in our world as it is."

There was nothing, and then. "But he hurt you." Hatter sounded angry and confused. "Why would you go back there?"

"He didn't mean to hurt me." Alice's voice was tired. Sarah wondered if there was some kind of time lapse between now and when the conversation began. Had she fallen asleep and not realized it? "He's confused and hurt. I'm sure that he's fine now that some time has passed."

"I can't change your mind then, can I?" There was a smile in the way he said it. It brought a pang in her chest as she wished she had a love like that. A perfect understanding of another person that made you love them more.

"I'm afraid not." There was a moment of silence again. "I'll be back before you know it."

"you won't remember me."

She heard the quick kiss and she almost felt like she was intruding on a private moment. But it's not like she could step out of the room for a moment anyway. "How could I forget?"

"Fairfarren, Alice." she could just see him, his eyes sad as Alice walked away. His shoulders sagged as he sat in a chair next to her bed. "Hello, Sarah." His voice was quiet and she wondered if he knew she was awake and could hear him. "We're not exactly friends, are we?"  
She couldn't answer him, though she tried to. "It's my fault you're in pain, you know." She wanted to argue, but couldn't. "I used ye to get my Alice back. I did'na consider how you migh' ge' hurt."

"Nnnooo." She managed, finally breaking through her pain free haze. "Not yourr fault, k...new wwhat w-as doi-ng."

He patted her hand and didn't disagree because she needed sleep. "You'll be alright. You're full of muchness, just like my Alice."

She wanted to ask him what muchness was but she was pulled back into sleep.

* * *

Alice sat on Jareth's throne comfortably when he came in, he simply raised an eyebrow and said nothing. She noted the changes in his demeanor, the confusion. "If you need someone to talk to, talk to me. I'm here anyway."

"Why?" Jareth didn't want to look at her arm where her wrist has swelled.

"I don't think you're a bad person just because you hurt me, Jareth." Alice shook her head. "Talk to me."

"I feel funny." He said, shaking his blonde hair as if it wasn't enough. "I feel alone and uneasy, I can't think about her without this warmth flooding my heart but it hurts and I don't know it is."

"You know what it is, Jareth." She used is first name, though he realized he'd never told her. "She loves you. I'm sorry she couldn't stay."

"Impossible." He barked suddenly. "Goblin Kings don't fall in love, it clouds our judgment.

"It doesn't sound to me like your using your judgment. Love is in your heart." She stood, angry at herself for not finding a way to fix this. Some champion she turned out to be. The king buried his head in his hands. Shaking as he fought to hold it all in. He could break down around her and she wouldn't think less of him, but didn't mean he wanted to.

Silently, she went to him and embraced him, pushing him back into his own throne. At first he froze against her but seconds later, he was curled like a child against her as she said nothing and let him cry. "You don't know this yet, "She sighed when his tears neared the end. " But she's fine. I'm fine. You're the only one who has yet to heal. "Not a complete truth. And it would take a while, and he'd be worse for wear.

He'd be jaded, probably wouldn't understand how to have compassion anymore, she knew he wouldn't. It would be a long time before someone came along to teach him how to feel again. "I tried to make her stay, I even offered to let you win so she wouldn't be forced to leave, but we were both blind, Jareth. She couldn't stay, though she wanted to."

He said nothing, but his breathing was heavy. Now that he was asleep she could move away from him and adjust him into a position of comfort. He wouldn't want to see her when he woke up, in fact, it would surprise her if they every met again. So she memorized this look of complete peace and kissed the top of his head before starting the journey home.

* * *

A few hours later she was walking through the doors of the castle, just in time to see her Hatter aiding a weak Sarah toward the doors. Sarah smiled at her but the light of it didn't touch her eyes. "Good," Alice ignored it for now, "You're awake. You simply must stay here for a while, enjoy our world now as a thank you for helping us."

Sarah considered it, but as there wasn't anything she really looked forward to back home, she saw no reason why not. "I'd love to."

"Great." Alice smiled before rolling her eyes at Tarrant. "Your child doesn't like traveling, love." Before he could ask, she took off for the nearest bathroom, muttering the words "damn morning sickness"

* * *

**Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm so sorry it's a)taking so long and b) so short. I absolutely hate what I wrote so I'm working on rewriting it but it's being difficult. Here is what works so far, it's not much but now that school's done I'll put a lot more effort into it. I'll announce who's winning in the next chapter. Again, I apologize, I am not abandoning this story.**

* * *

Alice chased the red headed boy across the courtyard of the white palace. "Charles! I swear, if I have to call your father out of his workshop you will not be a happy child!"

"But Jazz doesn't have to go to this stupid tea!" Charles pouted, letting his mother catch him. For a ten year old, he was incredibly stubborn. A trait Hatter often reminded her was part of her genetics.

"Yes, she does." Sarah dragged the little brown haired rebel behind her in her new party dress. Alice looked over and watched the child's pout turn to a grin. They were best friends, the children the women raised together. But Alice almost hadn't thought they'd make it this far.

Sarah hadn't gotten much better in the weeks after she decided to stay. Instead, she spent a lot of time staring out of windows and breaking down when she thought she was alone. It wasn't until the vomiting started that anyone even considered that she was pregnant. When she found out she got worse, she walked around like a zombie, occasionally singing a song about the world falling down. Occasionally they could get her to smile but they got less and less frequent the more she watched Alice and Hatter prepare to be the prefect family.

Then Alice went into labor and asked (read: forced) Sarah to be there. It was there, watching the miracle of birth that Sarah finally snapped out of her trance. After that day she'd thrown herself into being a mother. It was difficult for her, Alice knew, each year a birthday came and passed for young Jazz. And she knew Sarah still dreamed of him and woke up in the middle of the night, the signs showed. But for ten years Sarah had stopped being a shell and was back to life.

"But it's so boring at teatime." Jazz crossed her arms over her chest even as she was brought to a standstill in front of Alice.

"Darling." Alice tucked one of the three blonde streaks on the little girl's head behind the girl's ear. "Uncle Hatter will be there with Uncle Thatch and Aunt Mally. And if you're really, really good, they might just decide to play after all the boring parts are done."

"Really?" Alice pulled herself to her feet and grabbed the child's hands as the girl began to chatter endlessly about Uncle Thatch and the last adventure they'd had. Sarah met them, her own ears being used by young Charles, his eyes flashing colors like mad before finally settling to a gentle green. No matter how much Alice was in him, he was still most definitely Tarrant's boy. "Charles," Alice interrupted his telling of the exact same tale Jazz was telling, "Why don't you and Jazz run up ahead?"

Without being told twice, the boy grabbed Jazz's hand and they were taking off the dirt path into the forest of Wabe.


	14. author's note, SORRY!

Hey I'm so sorry, I've had horrible writing block for forever. But good news is, I have chapters in the works so those should be posted shortly. In other news, I need your guy's help.

This is going out to multiple stories, some finished, some not, so I apologize.

If any of you are Harry Potter fans and like RPG's can you please go to (remove the *s) f*a*c*e*b*o*o*k*.c*o*m*/H*o*g*w*a*r*t*s*.R*P*G.3*9*4 I'm trying to get it to run as close to realistic as possible but I need students! And maybe a few teachers for those who have a particular interest in being one! Please, if I get 30 people to enroll I will work nonstop on the chapters until they are done and the stories come t a conclusion.

And for the Harry Potter fanfictions, I will start working on the story of Mel and David if I get 60 enrolled


	15. Chapter 14

**Alright, so I'm a horrible person... however... I am trying desperately to work on this and everything I've written lately has been crap... but this section here I like and to make it up to you, it's much longer. I'm gonna continue this as fast as I can seeing as I finally worked out the kinks I've been contemplating so stick with me ! however I am writing for NaNoWriMo so my time will be divided... **

**The winner so far is Nannena! and I will announce what the prize is when the story comes more to a close...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland or Labyrinth cause if I did things would have been muuuch different.**

**Now ON WITH THE SHOW! :D**

* * *

Sarah smiled and touched Alice's shoulder, both of them slowing down to almost a standstill so that they had more time to discuss. They both knew, the moment they reached their children and the tea table, the conversation was over and the babysitting begins."You've always been able to read me, Alice. I don't know how you do it."

"It's no secret, you know, not at all." Alice laughed simply, "Your not that difficult to read, like a book, a beautifully written book, but one with a simple vocabulary, and besides, you've been like a sister to me this many years. Why wouldn't I know you well enough to know that look, darling, it's you to a fault. What is troubling you?"

Sarah finally stopped completely, turned to face the woman. "I must return to the time and place I belong." She didn't want to say it, didn't want to leave. Everything she had left, she had here. And for her daughter, well, it was the only life she's only known. "And I must take Jazz with me. I know she and Charles are bonded by a friendship stronger than our own, but I can't leave her here."

"Can't you stay longer? Surely, there must be more time before you have to go back to that place." Out of everything Alice could imagine, this was the one she feared most of all, a split of their family unit.

"The Queen has shown me the orraculum and trust me when I say I can't be here when the moon is full. It will throw the entire situation off balance. You must remember I'm here on borrowed time and time is fickle." Sarah smiled sadly and stepped forward, continuing their path to catch up to their children. "Besides, you know we had to go to our own world anyway. If I wait longer it will just be harder for Jazz to adapt. Do you remember coming here? How confusing this place is because we're a piece of the world above? It's going to be harder for her because of the time difference as well."

"You make a fair point." Alice conceded, grabbing Sarah's arm. "Just promise me you'll never forget the people here. I don't know how old we'll be in your time, but we're all connected now."

"Alice, I'm terrified." Sarah admitted out of the blue, "I know what I must do, but I don't know if I can be brave enough for my daughter too."

"Sarah, you are much braver than I could ever be. To give up the person you love, knowing he'll never forgive you. I don't think I could ever do that."

"But you tried."

"Silly Sarah," Alice chuckled almost darkly, "I would have crumbled even if you didn't walk in the room. Hatter has too much power over me to even consider hurting him. I know you love Jareth, but while I used my love for the person to get bravery to fight my Jabberwock, you had to use your bravery to fight your love. And now, if you say you must go, I know you have the power to do so."

"Thank you." Sarah wrapped her arm around Alice, resting her head on her shoulder as they walk.

"There's only one thing I insist." Alice smiled mischieviously.

"What?" She knew better than to be too scared, but with that look, how can you not be?

"You get to tell my husband and Thackery."

"Aww." Sarah's footsteps turned to a slouched shuffle and Alice laughed loudly behind her.

* * *

"How long do you think he's going to mope?" The dwarf, Hoggle, grumbled as he watched the King sitting silently in his throne.

"Not sure." One of the goblins told him bitterly, "But tell you what I think, since her highness left this place has really gone to the dogs."

"Well, if she's just going to leave all the time," Hoggle rolled his eyes, "She can just stay gone. Never am I gonna call her her highness, not in a million years.

There was a loud rattle, the whole castle shook as a wave crashed over them, absent of water but full of a powerful magic. The goblins all around were in a dazed panic and only at a sharp bark from their king were they silenced. "Quiet!" He walked into the middle of the room, his senses on high alert as he tried to work out what he knew in his head. "A fae child has awaken. An heir to the throne." And quickly, without another word to his subjects, he threw his crystal in the air and transformed into an owl, flying quickly out the window toward the source of the power. He must know who it was he suddenly felt so connected to.

* * *

Sarah stood with her daughter's hand in her own, all the friends they had made in their home gathered around them to say goodbye. Alice was the first to embrace both of them, hugging Sarah last. She'd done a good job of not letting her emotions get the better of her but the moment Alice wrapped her arms around her, she choked up. "Alice, I..."

"I know, Sarah." She held her close, her own eyes sparkling with tears as she put her mouth to Sarah's ear. "Her cheeks glow, you know, like his did. So I'd watch out if I were you, we may be wrong about not being affected by her father's magic."

"Thank you for everything." Sarah released her before taking her daughter's hand and turning to Tarrant, who had come up to join his wife. "Both of you."

"No." He shook his head with his silly grin, only the greyish tint to his eyes gave away the emotion in there. "Thank you."

Charles ran up and grabbed Jazz, clinging tightly as little kids do. "Never forget me." Jazz asked him, her tiny voice reminding Alice of a little girl that tripped down a rabbit's hole and made a set of brand new friends that she didn't want to leave... and then again making the same friends though leaving was certainly harder the second time. But still, if she wasn't already emotional, hearing a little blonde say it to a miniature Hightopp, well, she was a goner.

"Who could ever forget you?" was Charles' response. "Besides, we'll see eachother again, I know it.

"Right." Jazz nodded and squeezed him again before finally letting go and moving on to all her crazy uncles.

"She'll be alright, won't she." Sarah watched her brave child, still standing next to her two closest friends.

"Of course she will." Tarrant nodded with a grin seemingly bigger than his face. "Being your child, how can she not be?"

"Sarah..." The white queen approached them and smiled. "It is time for you to go now, I'm afraid."

Sarah looked at Jazz then turned back to her majesty. "Do you think we can wait a few more minutes?"

"No, I'm afraid it must be now."The queen gestured to the sky. "Look at the moon, Sarah."

Sarah did look and she saw two things there, one that it was bright and big and full just like the orraculum had promised, and two that there was a shadow upon it like a bird's flapping wings and it was getting bigger. "Alright, I understand. Jazz, come, we must leave now."

Jazz ran over silently, oblivious to the broken sound of Sarah's voice. Sarah, who couldn't bear the fact that they were once again running from the man she loved, clung to her tightly, and for her daughter's existence (which might be undone like everything else if they were not set forth in their proper time before she could be convinced to stay by her king), she downed the bottle of blood from a jabberwock quickly and let herself be surrounded by a cloud of foggy darkness.

Alice buried her head in her husband's shoulder as they watched them disappear. His hand squeezed her shoulder and she knew he was thinking about the time she came back and made him fall in love with her to just disappear again like Sarah was now. "Take me home, Hatter. Take me and our son home, he's going to need his parents tonight."

As he nodded and they turned to leave there was a great gust of wind and startled cries came from their friends around them. Alice turned back to see the goblin king who stood in the middle of their crowd where Sarah had stood with their daughter only moments before. "Jareth." She stepped out into the middle with him, the first to regain their composure since she was the only one to have spent any time with his. "What brings you to Underland?"

"A fae has awaken here." He looked within the crowd, saw no one with the features that gave his kind away. "Where are they?"

Alice smiled, she'd known something was different about the child before she left. "She left moments ago and I'm afraid her and her mother won't be returning."

He sighed and looked at her with sad eyes, always one step behind the person he's chasing. "Alice, it's good to see you again."

"And you." She stepped closer to him and rested her hand on his arm. "Your looking well enough."

"You lie." Jareth smiled a little and he was right, he didn't seem quite as alive as he did before. "But now is not the time for my own story, how is your baby?"

"It's been years." She chuckled, nodding toward the Hatter and her son. "He's hardly a baby anymore. He's even developed a crush on your... I mean, a girl who used to live here." She bit her lip before smiling at him. "Do you mind if we walk a little and talk."

He let her lead him away from the people and it wasn't until they were away that she relaxed. "So how are you really, Jareth?"

"How would you expect me to be?" Was his snappy reply but then he sighed again and tried again. "I don't think about her anymore."

Lies, she knew, but he wanted her to believe it. And this was why she had to talk to him, she had to warn him, not that he'd listen. "Jareth, there's going to be a time when someone who looks like Sarah comes into your Labyrinth again. She's not going to be the Sarah you remember and she won't love you like I know Sarah does. And I must ask yo not to try and seduce her, it would only end badly for both of you. However, I know you're going to try anyway but I thought I would attempt it."

"Why would I?" He argued. "I'm certainly not going to chase after a headstrong girl who doesn't know what's in front of her face when it's offered."

Alice stopped walking. "There is going to be a time when you must go to her and at least grant yourselves closure, but wait until I come to you. Otherwise things may happen that can never be undone."

"Alice." He looked at her carefully. "You could have said that in front of everybody... what did you really bring me away to discuss?"

A smirk spread on Alice's face and she had a feeling all would be well.

* * *

**Clicking the review button will make it more likely that I will continue faster :D HINT HINT**


	16. Chapter 15

_Okay, I've tried so hard to finish and this is what I came up with... I apologize for the fluffy line or two... There is an epiloge (which is already half written) and then it's done. But I want to say, thank you for putting up with my delays and for always being there. And anybody who wants to join the Hogwarts thing still, there's still plenty of room and we're starting a new term over so you should definitely pop in :) _

Disclaimer: I do not own...

_And now, for the moment you've been waiting for... The winner is... Nanenna! _

Your prize? You get to pick a prompt for a one-shot in ANY community I've written in (or smallville or xmen evolution or... well... if there's something not on the list you would like me write about then let me know and I'll tell you if it's possible) Sorry there isn't a better prize besides that and my gratitude for being my most faithful reviewer...

And now...

ON WITH THE SHOWWW!

* * *

"You..." A hard voice spoke as she sat alone at the kitchen table. She'd put the overexcited girl to bed and all, reading her one of the books she'd kept in a box from the move. But now, she sat in the dark, dwelling on the fact that they'd have to start all over again.

She'd brought her back only two days after she'd left. That was nothing you could explain away easily to her family. She looked too much like her to have adopted her. And even if she explained what had happened... not that she fully understood it all herself... they would freak. Either way, Jazz could never be introduced to the family she had. They would have to run, to start over without more than a penny or two to their name, and they'd have to do it tomorrow. After that, well, there was too much of a chance that Karen would stroll through the door. ….

But all of that flew out of her head as she heard that one word, "You..." No matter how long it'd been, she'd always know _that _voice.

"Jareth." She rose but didn't turn, couldn't bring herself to look at him. She knew that one look in his eyes and she'd be on the floor, begging for him to love her.

"Sarah..." He watched her from his spot in the kitchen door. "Look at me... please." On the please, she did turn, but more out of shock at hearing the weight in his voice. He stared at her, all traces of anger vanishing in his relief of seeing her again. "Better than a human should in a century's time."

She ducked her head, her cheeks blazing under his gaze. "I... for me... well... it's only been a decade." She looked up at him now, her eyes shining with repentance. "I've missed you, Jareth."

He put on his best grimace. He could forgive her, just looking at her here, but he still needed answers. "You walked away as if it was nothing."

"No." She shook her head. "Never like it was nothing. That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do... It destroyed me... not that it means I was in the right, but I had a job to do, Jareth, we both did." She grimaced. "You didn't believe me when I told you, but I really wasn't in a position where I could stay, even if I lost." She began pacing and if he'd ever heard her rant before, it was nothing compared to this. "Do you know what would have happened if I'd stayed? Let me tell you, it's not a fun thing to have on your conscience. Gives you a headache, really. If I stayed, and oh boy, let me tell you, I wanted to... we'd have gotten married and if I stayed, then you would never have attempted to woo my poor fifteen year old heart when I first met you. I know, don't say it. You met me a hundred years ago, but I met you twenty... I think it was twenty. Anyway, you wouldn't have tried and I wouldn't have fallen in love with the brooding, wounded man I met. Don't you dare deny it... And then I might have lost as well because I'm certain you went easy on me. In which case, Hatter would never have gotten me to run the labyrinth and this whole thing would just work it's way into a massive black hole and the whole world will _EXPLODE!_" She shouted the last word, hr chest heaving as she caught her breath.

He chuckled and crossed the distance between them, kissing her lips gently. "You're really strange."

She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I feel like you knew that." She inhaled and the scent of him calmed the last of her fears. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" Then it hit her. There was still more to tell. "Wait. Don't answer that... I need to tell you something first."

"You've fallen in love with someone else." His voice was hard but she could hear the light teasing there.

"No." She smiled as she stepped away. "Never. But..." She glanced up the staircase. "Well... maybe it would be better if I showed you but you have to promise to be quiet." He eyed her cautiously, then nodded as she took his hand and led him up the stairs. At the top, she swung open the door on the left and smiled at him. "Take a look," She whispered, "just don't talk too loud."

He stared inside at the child in her mother's bed with the moonlight on her face. She was small and enchanting even as a young child, with all the features of her mother but her hair definitely didn't come from her. He had a feeling this was as peaceful as she got, if she was anything like her mother. But it begged the question..."Is she..." He asked, though looking at her, he just knew. How could she not be, he could practically feel the fae magic pulsing out of her.

Sarah nodded. "There was never anyone else..." She took a deep breath. "Her name is Jazz and she is... well... a miracle... you have to meet her, she loves you..."

"She doesn't know me." He pointed out. "I can't hold a very favorable position in her mind.

She shook her head with a small chuckle. "She's a little girl, Jareth, and she knows the whole story. She knows why her father wasn't in her life but she knows you. She claims to see you in her dreams... I thought maybe you'd seen her too."

It was his turn to nod now. "I did, yes, during the hundred years of silence... but I thought it was the fae child that had awoken in Wonderland..."

"It kinda was..." She shrugged sheepishly. "I should probably start from the beginning..."

"You really should." He shut the door and and followed her down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom, she turned to kiss him and he put his hands up to block her. "No..." He told her firmly. "I cannot... I can't trust you, Sarah..."

"I don't blame you." She smiled sadly. "But come on, sit, I'll make some coffee and tell you everything. Answer any question you throw at me but you have to answer one of mine." She moved around the kitchen and did as she said she would, preparing the coffee pot before speaking again. "How did you know when to come?"

"A mutual friend..." He sat at her kitchen table in the same place where she'd been earlier.

"Alice." She didn't need to even guess.

"Yes, she came to me and told me it was time to confront my demons." He watched her cautiously, expecting a reaction.

She just pulled two cups out of the cupboard. "Am I a demon, your majesty?"

"Yes and no. I can't trust you, Sarah." He reminded her. "Some would say that makes you a demon."

"Because you're afraid of me." She sighed, getting down on her knees in front of him. "You're afraid I'll leave again." She took his face in her hands, making impossible for him to not see the love in her eyes. "I love you, Jareth. I've never left you when I had a choice and I never will."

He nodded and rested his forehead on hers. "Marry me then. Prove what you say."

She chuckled and patted his cheek, moving away from him. "I don't know, your majesty. I mean, we don't even know if we still have chemistry..."

He raised an eyebrow and within moments, she was pinned to the counter, her mouth moving heatedly and desperately with his. Too soon, he removed his lips from hers. "You were saying?"

"I thought you couldn't trust me." She smiled breathlessly. This feeling rising up in her, oh how she'd longed for it.

He smiled and rubbed his lips along the line of her neck, making her shudder. He'd forgotten how sensitive her skin was. It made him desire to remember it all, to discover all the things he'd misplaced, and to satisfy both of their restlessness. "There is no one I trust more than the one I love and I am an idiot for thinking otherwise even for a moment."

"That's a heavy statement." She managed, though she was quickly losing all the will she had not to just jump him now. "I think I'm going to need a bit more convincing."

"I can do that." He growled in her ear lightly, his hands busying themselves with the shape of her body. "But first, say you'll marry me." He stopped, looked at her with pleading eyes. "Say it. I can't stand to be parted from you again."

She smiled and kissed him deeply, removing his hand from her body and lacing the fingers of her left hand with his right. The cool metal band brushed against his fingers and she looked at him with a promise. "I've never stopped wearing your ring, Jareth. I never stopped wanting to marry you. I never stopped wanting to spend forever by your side."

"Only forever?" He considered it with a knowing smile."That's an awfully long time."

"No." She kissed him again. "It's not long at all."

* * *

_REVIEW PLEASE! Last chapter will be up within the week, I swear..._


	17. Epilogue

_*sniff sniff* I can't believe it's over!... actually i can... thanks for being with me on this journey! This is the last chapter of Alice's Runner Sarah. Everyone who has reviewed has a special place in my heart! Sorry it took me so long to finish! So here it is!  
_

Disclaimer: I do not own, though if I did I'd die of happiness

* * *

It was the wedding of the century... literally, they'd been technically engaged for at LEAST a century. Everyone was there who should have been. This had confused Sarah, but Jareth wouldn't tell her until she saw for herself. It was frustrating but when the moment arrived, she was definitely happy to see the people she saw. Especially when she was adding the finishing touches to her dress and Alice walked in, aged but no more than Sarah was. Tears sprung to her eyes as she hugged Alice, her truest friend returned to her once more.

Turns out, as far as Sarah could gather, Time had owed Jareth a favor (though no one could get him to say why) and upon request from Alice, he called said favor in. It was so that Time slowed in Underland and only eight years had passed until this beautiful moment when friends and lovers could all be together in one place. That made Charles eighteen.

This was a long awaited moment. To their surprise, it'd taken nine years to finally wed after that night in the kitchen. Three of those were waiting for Jazz to adjust and get to know her father as well, five years of it was putting the wedding on hold because of a civil war which had broken out in the labyrinth (thankfully, almost everyone survived), and the last was repairs and planning... the dreaded planning... but that put Jazz at nineteen.

She'd become beautiful in those years in the labyrinth. Not that Charles, didn't think so before but now he was awestruck. Her hair was curled lightly, the pointed ears she'd developed stuck out in a way that he'd call adorable if he wasn't too manly for that. She was waring a simple dress that was fun and her but fit for a princess. But what really got to him was her face. There was so much familiar about her but she was enchanting from her pixie shaped face to her high, sparkling cheek bones, to the fact that both of her eyes had drained of color until her irises were silver. If he didn't know ebtter, he'd have said his Jazz was an elf. And even better, as he sat in his seat and she walked down the aisle in front of her mother, when he got his first glance at her a hole that had been there inside him for eight years filled. He wasn't going to allow that hole to open again. Whether she knew it or no, she wasn't leaving his life again... She hadn't even seen him yet.

She walked down the aisle with a smile at her father. He may not have been there for the first ten years of her life but she loved him and she knew he loved her mom. It'd been awkward at first but now it was as if there had never been a gap at all. Finally, she got all the way up to the front and turned, gasping as her eyes met familiar, currently green ones. He wasn't the little boy she remembered. No, now he was a man in his own clean black top hat. He looked like his father but much more handsome in her mind. A smile spread on her face. She hadn't gone a night without dreaming about the friend she'd left, though she'd never told anyone because she knew he'd grown up without her. But here he was and they were the same age! It was a dream come true! She had to turn her face away and watch the bride before she gave up on all sanity and publicly embarrassed the royal family by running to him now. But as she watched her mom, she made a decision. That was going to be her one day and she was going to never let that boy out of her sight again... They hadn't even said hello yet.

Jareth watched his queen walk down the aisle looking as beautiful as she had a century ago. It was this moment he'd been looking toward since the night Jazz was conceived. Surrounded by the people they cared about the most, he could finally take his queen.

Sarah didn't have to notice how handsome Jareth was, to her he got more and more beautiful every day. And it was then, at the age of fourty, Sarah married the Goblin King she'd been dreaming about since she was a little girl.


End file.
